Weapons of Masse Destruction
by Skeltons in the closet
Summary: What happened to Raven? She's gone missing. The Teen Titans join forces with Fire Fury to try and locate her and stop whatever plans Droid has in mind, and what about Robin? Will he ever recover from his accident? Starfire begins to have doubts as his mind has wandered from sanity, this mystery deepens as the two teams work to find all the puzzle pieces AND put them together.
1. Chapter 1

Teen Titans

Chapter 1: Hero's

"Raven!"

I jolt awake. I'm in my room. It was just a dream. Raven's fine. I think.

As the leader of the Teen Titans I have to make sure they all stay safe. I jump up and walk into the hall.

I reach Raven's door. Taking a deep breath I knock. She doesn't answer.

"Raven?" I whisper. I hear someone moving around in there. My hearts beating fast, what if its not Raven, what of someone's in there.

Just as I am about to open the door, it slides open. Raven looks at me with sleepy eyes.

"Is something wrong?" She asks. I just look at her for a moment. I'm glad she's ok, but, the dream was so real- "Everything's fine," I say. "Just making sure you're alright," Her eyes get wide.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asks. I know I'll have to explain. "Robin?" she says with worry. "Uh, I don't know, I just thought something might be wrong, you're awfully quiet," That was lame.

"That's because it's nighttime, everyone's sleeping, so yes it's quiet," She says. I'm an idiot, why did I say that. "I think you're over tired, go back to bed," She slides her door closed and I sigh.

I walk back to my room and go to sleep.

...

"Good morning Robin!" Starfire lights up as I walk into the room. I smile at her. "Morning," I walk to the fridge and open it up. Then Raven walks in. I wonder if she still remembers what happened last night.

There isn't a very good chance she forgot, but I still hope.

"Did you sleep well last night Robin?" She knows. I sigh. "Yes, and you?" I ask pretending I don't remember. But somehow I think she knows I do remember.

"Pretty good," She smiles. I go back to looking in the fridge for something to eat.

"Hey! Robin!" I hear Cyborg yell from the living room. I close the fridge and walk over. "What is it?" I ask looking at the computer screen he's sitting in front of.

"Trouble," He says. "Someone broke into this bank here last night," Cyborg points to the city bank in the center of town. "Who is it?" I ask.

"That's the thing," Cyborg wheels his chair around to face me. "I've never seen him before," He turns back and clicks a link and a video pulls up. "I tapped into the security cameras and this is what I saw,"

The safe room is quiet. Then a bomb explodes. A man in black comes running in. He puts something on the main vault and then hides in a corner. The vault door blasts open and he rushes in. "And look," Cyborg pauses the video just as the man is escaping.

"He didn't touch any money he just took this," He closes the video link and pulls up a picture of a green pig-like figurine. "Hmm," I ponder this. A new criminal in town, comes and steals a little figurine. The question is why.

"Do we know where he went?" I ask. "Well, the outside cameras show him jump in a car an head east," I think a minute. "We need to know what he's planning, what is that figurine made of?" I ask.

"I did some research and I found this,"

Cyborg pulls up a picture of a newspaper article. I begin reading it aloud as the others walk into the room.

"'Meteor lands just outside Jump City' a meteor?" I ask. "Yeah, and after examining it scientists found green crystal-like things on the inside," Cyborg says and pulls up a picture of a giant rock that's cut open revealing the green crystal he spoke of.

"They auctioned it off in sections, a Chinese man bought the biggest section and made several of these statuettes, after he died the figurines disappeared and started showing up in different places around the world, there are two of them here in Jump City, and at least 27 more in the world,"

"Are they valuable like diamond and other precious stones?" I ask. "Yeah, they're real expensive," Cyborg says.

"Then he'll probably want to sell them on the black market," I get a plan. "We check every black market and catch him in the act," I say. Cyborg gets a weird look. "What?" I say.

"Well, I'd have to go on an illegal website to check for all the black markets in Jump City," He says.

"It's ok, it's for a good cause, also, see if you can find out where this other figurine is located," I say as I head out.

"Where are you going?" Starfire asks. "To the scene of the crime, to pick up any clues," I step in the elevator and the door closes.

...

"I'd just like to have a look around," I say to the guard. "Ok kid, go ahead," He stands aside and I walk into the bank.

First thing is to figure out how he slipped the bombs past security. I take a look around. When you walk through the doors strait ahead is the main desk where you wait in line to do whatever it is you came for. To the left is an office, next to that is a hallway, I walk over and look in. At the back wall is a bathroom, and along the sides are more offices.

I walk back to my spot at the door. To the right, against the wall are some chairs and a table with a plant, on the far right wall is a large room with glass for walls. But it's dark. The shades are down. I walk over and have a look inside.

This must be a conference room, there's a large oval table with chairs all around. In the corner is a door. It's just a closet though, there's another door that leads to the main vault. It looks like it had a pretty good lock and security code, but the door lays sideways because of the bomb. I step inside, as I do I hear the crunch of debris under my foot. The whole rooms a mess. Pieces of the walls lay everywhere and the vault door is busted.

I walk over. It looks like it was made of steal, and painted gold, but now it was stripped of the paint and dented in many places.

What kind of explosives did he use on this thing? And why would he steal the statue to sell it when he could've just taken the money and not gone through all the trouble of finding a black market and all the waiting? Maybe he has some other purpose for the figurine.

But what could it be? Maybe he was the grandson of the old Chinese man who made them and they were just sentimental to him. That seemed unlikely.

So what was it? Something flickered in the corner. I walk over I see what it is.

A small round metal thing. "Looks like our culprit left something behind," I say as I grab it. It has a hole in the center, like a ring. Around the edging are words.

'Die Legende von Masse'

I'm not sure what that means. But I'll have to find out. I put the disk in my belt pocket and continue searching.

...

"Robin?" I look up to see Starfire standing in the doorway of my room.

"Yes?" She looks away and rubs her arm nervously. "I-I am worried," She says. "Why are you worried?" I get up from my desk and walk over to her.

"All the others have gone to see that the second statuette is not stolen," She says. Her beautiful green eyes have on a pleading look. "And that worries you?" I ask with a smile.

"You are here alone," She looks deeply into my eyes. "What if someone breaks in, would you like to go with them to the Jade Quan?" I laugh a little and put my hands on her shoulders.

"First of all, I'm not alone," I say. "You're here," She smiles a little. "Second, no ones gonna break in, we've got a good security system, and besides I'm a good fighter, and third, I've got to stay here and work on this disk clue," She nods.

"I shall stay," She smiles proudly. I walk back to my desk and she follows. "I need to get on the computer and see what language this is written in," I say. "Would you run down to the basement and get the LTD?" Starfire nods and flies away.

Sometimes I wish I could fly.

I walk to the living room and get the computer ready. Starfire quickly comes in with the LTD. "

"Robin?"

"Yes?"

"I have never known before, what does LTD mean?" I plug in the LTD and then explain. "It stands for Language Translation Device," She gets a look of wow and says, "Brilliant,"

It's done loading so I open the file. "Alright, it's searching for which language this is written in." I wait patiently. Finally it's discovered.

Die Legende von Masse translated means-

I read the screen. Suddenly the screen goes blank. "What-" The electricity goes crazy. Lights are flashing the screen is going nuts.

I jump out of the chair and push Starfire back. "Robin what is happening?" She asks frightened. "I don't know!" I yell above the electrical noises.

The tower begins to shake. I don't know what's going on. Quick as a flash I pull Starfire down and cover us with my cape. The roof caves in and I feel it hit my back. We're buried.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Jade Quan.

"Robin!"

I slowly open my eyes. "What happened?" I ask weakly.

"How do you feel?" Someone's asking me. I don't know who it is. As my eyes open more fully I see its a doctor. She waits for me to answer.

I sit up suddenly remembering Starfire. "Where's Starfire?!" I demand.

"She's fine, now how do you feel?" I'm annoyed by her. She has to tell me where Starfire is. "Where is she!" I yell. The doctor lady steps aside pointing to an ambulance. I see Starfire sitting in the back and another doctor is putting a bandage around her left arm.

I lay back relaxing. She's safe. "How do you feel?" The doctor asks again. "Fine," I say. Although my head does hurt and my left leg burns.

"Are you sure?" She presses. "Well, my head hurts a little," I confess. "And my leg burns," She looks at my leg and then hurries into the ambulance. I look around. We're in the middle of a road in Jump City. How did we get out of the tower?

I see Cyborg run over. "Hey man you ok?" He asks. I sit up. "Fine, how did we get out of the tower?" I ask.

"Well, that's a story!" He says. "Tell me," I say. "Alright so we were at the Jade Quan, the guy there wasn't being cooperative and stuff, I had to go back to the tower because he wanted proof that the other green figurine thingy was actually stolen," He goes off.

"When I got there I came upstairs and part of the roof was caved in, I heard Starfire yelling for help so I lifted some of the roofing. I saw you layin on the floor so I picked you up, that's when I saw you were protecting Star from getting hurt," He smiles at me weirdly. "Anyways, I had Star call an ambulance and then carried you to town, and here ya are!"

I smile my thanks and then ask, "Where's Raven and Beastboy?"

"Oh they're back at the Jade Quan," He says. I nod.

"You should go home and get some rest," The doctor says. "Heroes don't take rests," I tell her. She bandages up my leg and hands me a pair of crutches.

"What're these for?" I ask suspiciously. "To help you walk," She retorts. I frown. I don't want them. But I have to do as the doctor says.

I take the crutches and hobble over to where Starfire sits in the ambulance. "How're you feeling?" I ask. When she sees me she gets a look of panic. "Are you alright?" She jumps up and stares at my crutches. "Yes, are you?" I ask. "I am fine," She answers. "But how is your arm?" I say and point to the bandage. "It is alright, I hardly feel the pain," She winces when she tries to move it. Somehow I feel like it's my fault. I feel guilty.

...

As Raven and I wait for Cyborg to return, I try to tell her some jokes to pass the time, but she doesn't laugh.

"Beastboy, I don't feel like listening to any jokes," She says to me. I sigh. "Ok, sorry," I say and sit in a chair next to her.

"Are you ok? You seem gloomier than normal," I say as I look at her. "I just wanna go home," She says. I nod and turn away.

For the next few minutes I play with my fingers, making them turn to Gardner Snakes and hiss around.

"Beastboy?" The panic in her voice scares me. I turn to face Raven. She seems paler than normal. "You ok?" I ask worried. She's acting weird. Weirder than weird. She pulls her hood up and stands. "Never mind," I hear her mumble.

"I'm going home," She starts to walk away and I jump up standing in front of her. "Do you need me to go with you?" I ask. Raven stops and stares at me. For a split second I think she doesn't know what I said but she quickly recovers. "No!" She snaps. "I'm fine," She sounds like she might be getting a cold or something.

I step aside and watch as she walks away. I shrug and sit back down. Probably just girl stuff.

"Excuse me!" The old man comes from the back room. "I have to ask you to leave! You are scaring my customers!" He snaps angrily.

I smirk at him. Crazy old man. "Scaring your customers? Please, dude I am giving you business," I retort. He picks me up by the collar and throws me out.

"Stay away!" He yells in his Chinese accent. "Fine! Jeez!" I get up and brush the dirt off my clothes. Robin won't like this. That old man won't let us protect him from being robbed. Stupid old Chinese-

"Hey!" I hear a girls voice and turn around. A girl runs up to me. She pauses out of breath.

"Are you with the Teen Titans?" She asks. "Yeah, I'm Beastboy, I'm sure you've heard of me," I say with a smile. She raises an eyebrow at me.

"Nope, never," She says still panting. My jaw drops. She hasn't heard of me? Of all the-I quickly stand up strait and take on a cool look.

"Well, you know, I'm just-"

She puts her hand up for me to stop talking. "I'm looking for Raven, I need to warn her," This mystery girl says. "Oh, she just left but, I can take you to Titans Tower, that's where she's headed," I say with an awesome smile.

"Ok, thanks!" The girl says also smiling. "When I transform to a pterodactyl you hop on my back and I'll fly us there," I tell her. "No need," She says. "I can fly," She begins flying. I smile, she's awesome.

"You coming?" She says and I transform to an eagle and fly with her.

As we fly she suddenly morphs into a black and white bird! Cool. I wonder if she has the same powers I do. But she's not green.

...

We get back to the tower. Finally. "Robin the doctor said you must rest," Starfire says to me. "But Raven and Beastboy haven't returned," I try to argue.

"Robin please, you must not hurt yourself anymore," I look into her eyes. I can't say no to her.

"Alright, I'll rest," I say with a sigh. She smiles and tries to help me walk to the living room.

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten the roof was still caved in," Starfire looks at the mess with sad eyes. "Don't worry!" Cyborg yells from behind us. "I got dis!" He begins cleaning the mess and Starfire helps me walk to the kitchen.

"I'm hungry," I say and hobble on my crutches to the fridge. "Robin!" Starfire flies over quickly. "You sit at the table and I shall get you whatever unhealthy foods you desire," I laugh a little at the way she puts it.

She leads me over to the table and I sit down, leaning my crutches against the chair. "What do you want to eat?" She asks. "Starfire, really, I can get it " I tell her. "No Robin it is ok, you rest," I sigh. I can't change her mind now.

"Would you like a sandwich?" She asks. A sandwich sounds good. "Sure," I say with a smile. "I know just how you like it!" Starfire says and flies to the kitchen.

A few moments later she comes back with my sandwich. It looks good. "Wow," I say. "I'm impressed, you did perfectly," I smile at her and she blushes. "I must go help Cyborg," She quickly flies to the living room and helps him pick up the roofing.

As I eat I watch helplessly. I should be the one cleaning, after all I was the one who helped make that mess. But I still want to find whoever messed with the tower.

...

Finally the mess is cleared and a tarp is placed over the hole in the roof. The living room at least looks normal. But the roof may take awhile to fix.

"I'll go into town and see about getting some new roofing," Cyborg says and walks away. I grab my crutches and stumble over to the couch. Starfire helps me sit down.

"Thanks Star," She's so helpful. I just wish I didn't have to use these stupid crutches.

"Would you perhaps enjoy watching a movie while Cyborg and the others are away?" She asks cheerfully. I really should be doing something to help find this new criminal, but Star seems really hopeful that I'll say yes. I smile and shrug. "Sure, why not," She walks over to the tv and puts in a movie. "You should try to fall asleep if you can," She says to me as she walks back. "Ok," I shift so I am laying down sideways on the couch. She smiles and sits in front of my stomach. We watch the show.

About halfway through it I glance over at Starfire, she's alseep. I smile. She's seemed really tired lately. She startles and then moves so she's lying down right next to me. Her head rests right under my chin and she settles in. I relax a little and then gently stroke her soft, red hair, as I continue watching the movie.

...

The sound of someone giggling enters into my dreams. Who is giggling and why? My dream doesn't make sense. My eyes slowly open up. I barely see Cyborg sitting on a chair in front of me. He's holding in a laugh.

As my eyes open more fully I see Beastboy standing next to the couch with a girl standing behind him. He's the one laughing. Why?

Then I remember. Starfire is sleeping next to me, my fingers were halfway through her hair. I must've fallen asleep too.

"Yo man!" Cyborg whispers. "What have you two been doin?" He says still trying not to laugh and wake up Starfire.

"We were just-" I try to explain but Beastboy speaks up for me.

"Just having a nap together! Aww," He laughs still. "Shh," Cyborg says holding a finger up to his lips. "We don't wanna wake up his girlfriend," He whispers. I feel my face turning red. Suddenly it becomes ten times hotter in the room.

"She's not my girlfriend!" I whisper yell. Cyborg smiles mischievously. "Then why are you sleepin together?" He asks. My eyes narrow and I glare at him.

I grit my teeth. "Because she fell asleep during the movie," I say. They all look to the screen and see the end credits going up.

"So did you man," Cyborg accuses then gets up and leaves. They're all so annoying when they tease me about Star. I really like her but she's not my girlfriend, dating a teammate couldn't end very well.

"Mm, Robin?" Starfire stirs and slowly sits up. "Oh! I must've fallen asleep," She says rubbing her eyes.

"So did Robin," Beastboy adds. Starfire looks down at me. She stands up. "Oh, well it was a good nap," She yawns. "I needed it,"

"Well, I got the roofing so we all can get started fixin it," Cyborg says.

"Beastboy, would you go get Raven?" Cyborg asks.

"That's why I came in here," Beastboy replies. "Raven isn't in her room,"

"Wasn't she with you at the Jade Quan?" I ask feeling a little alarmed.

"Yeah, but she went home early," He says. I suddenly notice that girl that was standing behind him this whole time. "Who's she?" I ask.

She steps forward and says, "My names Zelda, and I came looking for Raven," I'm not sure if we can trust her. But I need to know why she's looking for Raven.

"Why were you looking for Raven?" I demand a little harsher than I should've.

"Well, I came to warn her, Droid is after her, but I guess I'm too late," Her shoulders slump and she looks down in shame.

"What does this 'droid' want with her?" I ask. "I'm not sure, I haven't figured that part out yet, but my team and I have discovered that he is after her, he may have already gotten her, whatever he needs her for is extremely dangerous," She says.

"Your team?" I am curious who she's working for.

"Yes, I was assigned to be the leader of a team called Fire Fury, we've been tracking Droid for a long time now, and followed him here to Jump City," She explains. "We haven't figured his full plan out yet but we've figured a good part of it," She continues.

"We need to go after Raven," I say. I take out my communicator and try calling hers. No signal.

I close it with a frown. This worries me. Raven must be in danger. We have to find her before this 'droid' does.

I take a closer look at this girl. She has long, dark brown hair with a single black highlight. She's about as tall as Raven, she wears black pants with blue flames coming up at the bottom. She has black boots that come up to her knees, her black shirt is about as long as Starfire's and she has on a black jacket that also has blue flames crawling up the sleeves and sides. She also has black and red gloves with the fingers cut out. She has blue eyes.

I wonder if we really can trust her.

"We should go look for this guy Droid," Cyborg speaks up.

"We've found his hideout but haven't devised a plan to get in yet," Zelda says. "It's too heavily guarded,"

"Well, we might be able to help with that," I say. She smiles and then says, "I'll call my team." She then brings her wrist up to her mouth an talks into her watch.

"Fire Fury, head to my location ASAP," She says.

I hear a muffled radio voice reply, "Ok, on our way,"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Fire Fury

Zelda's team, Fire Fury, should be here any minute, if I didn't have to sit down because of my leg I'd be pacing the floor right now.

Raven's missing and we need to find her. But we need Fire Fury's help, and they're not here yet.

Cyborg went down and is waiting by the door for them. I'm getting impatient. But who knows how far away the were when they received her message, they could be anywhere.

The elevator door slides open and Cyborg walks in followed by a group of teens.

As soon as they all get into the living room I take a head count. There are six of them not including Zelda.

"These are my teammates," Zelda speaks up. "This is Kodiac," She stands next to a tall guy with longish black hair, he has a brown shirt and darker brown pants. Around his neck he wears a bear claw, he's also bare foot. "He can change to a grizzly bear,"

"This is Shiloh," She stands next to a girl holding a bow in her hand, she has a long blue shirt with tan leggings, around her waist is an arsenal of arrows and tucked into the side there is a knife. She has brown hair. She doesn't smile, and I notice she has three scars across her right cheek. On her left eye, covered by her bangs, is a scar that crosses her eye facing down. "She never misses with those arrows,"

"This is Max," She now stands next to a small boy with shaggy blonde hair. He has blue pants and a green shirt. He looks a little young to be in a team of heroes. He just stands shyly as she talks about him. "He may look harmless and innocent, but he's extremely smart, and can use his mind to move objects,"

"This is Merella," She stands next to a girl with red hair. It's darker red than Starfire's, she has a deep red leather jacket and a plain black shirt. Her pants are black as are her boots. "She is armed with an arsenal of knives, and can shoot them to a distance of about a hundred and twenty feet and still hit her target,"

"This is Fleo," She stands by a boy about my age, he has a black mask and spiky orange hair. He has a red t-shirt and black pants. He wears a utility belt much similar to mine and has blue tennis shoes. "He is a black belt in karate, so better not to get on his bad side," She says with a laugh.

"And finally, this is Zenica," She stands next to a happy faced little girl who looks to be five years old. She wears a little yellow and green dress and a pink flower in her hair.

"She's actually with us only because we were assigned to protect her," Zelda explains. Then I notice Zenica holding a little stuffed kitten.

"Well, it's nice to meet you all, I'm Robin, and that's Starfire, Cyborg, and Beastboy, Raven is also a part of our team but I'm afraid she's gone missing," I say. The other team looks at us and then nods.

"So we're gonna think up a plan to get into Droid's HQ?" Fleo asks. "Yes, that is the plan," I answer.

Both our teams sit down on the floor and we begin planning.

...

"I think Robin should stay here," Starfire says just before we leave. "What? No, I'm leader of the Teen Titans I will go with," I argue.

"But Robin," She has that pleading look again. But I have to ignore it. I need to go.

"I think she's right," I jerk my head in the direction of the voice. It's Zelda.

"We're going to be traveling through thick forest, no offense but I don't think you'll be able to make it with those crutches," She says. Between her and Star I feel like maybe I should stay.

"You're right, I'll just slow everyone down, you guys go and find Raven, I'll just wait," I tell them. As much as I want to go I can't slow them down, they need to get in and out as fast as they can.

"That way Zenica can stay with you and won't be hurt,"

I nod. I watch as they all leave. I sit on the couch and watch Zenica play with her stuffed kitten.

She looks up at me and smiles. "Wanna know his name?" The five year old asks. "Sure," I say with a warm smile.

"His name is Rhen," She says. I nod. She's a cute little girl.

This is torture, I'm gonna wait a really long time while everyone else is out there doing their thing.

~o0o~

I walk behind Zelda and the rest of the team as we slowly progress through these thick woods.

Then the one called Fleo comes over and walks beside me. Something about him seems odd.

"So, your name is Starfire is it?" He asks me in a low whisper. "Yes it is," I answer although I do not feel like talking to him or anyone. Robin is at home and he has a hurt leg. I don't know when he will heal, and it worries me, what if he needs something he cannot reach? He will try to get it himself but what if he falls? What if he is hurt worse? They have enough people here I should've stayed. Maybe I could ask if I can go home to take care of Robin.

"So what can you do?" Fleo stills wants to have a conversation.

"I have alien strength, can shoot star bolts both from my hands as well as my eyes, and I can also fly," I answer.

"Whoa, that's cool," He walks closer to me. I do not like him. He is-strange and rude.

"Watch out!" He grabs my arm and pulls me toward him.

He pulled my left arm, the one that needed bandaging back at the ambulance this morning. It hurts a lot when he grabs it. I try to pull away but he is also strong.

"Ow you are hurting me!" I whisper. He lets go and I rub my hurting arm. Why did he do that? Didn't he know the bandage meant I was hurt? Then I notice Cyborg had pulled him away from me. That is why he let go.

"Yo man, leave her alone!" He whispers. Fleo wiggles out of Cyborg's grasp and walks away from us.

"You ok Star?" Cyborg asks once Fleo is gone. "I will manage to survive," I say with a frown. "I'm sorry he hurt you," Cyborg does not have to apologize, it was not his fault Fleo was rude. I am about to tell Cyborg that but he holds his hand up for us to all be silent.

I try to look at what he sees but I cannot see around this bush, and I do not feel the joy needed to fly above it and look.

"What is it?" I ask. "We're here," Is all he says.

Zelda signals for us to move forward so we do. I see the massive size of Droid's hideout.

It looks to be made of steel, or something very strong and hard to get into.

"Remember the plan?" Zelda asks. We all nod silently and she starts walking.

"Let's do it!" She says and we all march forward to execute our plan.

My job is simple. I must shoot my star bolts at any guards that try to stop Zelda as she is finding the entrance.

There is only one guard though. I follow Zelda and this is when I finally get to see her powers.

She creates a blue wall of fire and the door melts. I like Zelda, she is a very nice person.

We enter the hideout. But no one stands guard at the door. This seems too easy, something is off.

We walk the halls. All is silent. If Robin were here he'd know what to do. I wish Robin was here, and he wasn't hurt.

~o0o~

Zenica and I just finish up a puzzle. I've gotten extremely bored waiting for the others to contact me. It would be too dangerous for me to call them, if the were sneaking up on Droid or something I'd mess it up for them.

So I wait. Patiently. Still waiting.

"Robin?" I hear a staticky voice call on my communicator.

I pull it out.

"Robin here," I say into the device.

"Robin, we have entered Droid's hideout but-" It's Starfire. "But, something seems odd about this place,"

"Odd how?" I ask my curiosity rising.

"Odd like, there were no guards, no one came to stop us, it was almost too easy-" Her voice has a hint of worry in it and I wonder if I should worry too.

"Robin!" I hear her voice quickening, like she's running or something. "Robin it's a trap!" She squeals. "Starfire!" I call in alarm.

"Starfire answer me!" It's quiet. I slam my communicator down. "No!" I hate myself for not going.

Why didn't they see that it was a trap? More importantly how did Droid know they'd be coming?

Suddenly the alarm goes off. "Trouble," I mumble.

The glass walls suddenly burst, and a group of guys jump inside.

I don't have much time to do anything. I try to get off the couch but my leg is too weak to stand on.

I collapse to the ground, then I realize, they're not after me.

One of them picks up Zenica, she screams for me to help her but I can't get up. They run out.

I. Hate. My. Self. How could I let them take that little girl? I am such an idiot.

I yell in my rage. This is all going downhill. First Raven gets kidnapped then my team, now Zenica.

This, cannot be happening. I struggle to stand and reach for my crutches.

~o0o~

What-I-as my eyes open I remember what happened. We were trapped, at Droid's hideout.

"Starfire are you alright?" I hear Zelda ask me.

"I-I am alright," I answer. We're hanging upside down, my arms are tied behind me, I struggle but can't get loose.

Stay calm. I keep telling myself. Robin will find us. I hope.

He still has to use those crutches and I'm not sure he could make it here in time.

I look around, the only ones tied up here are Max, Merella, Zelda and I. I wonder where the others are.

...

It's been hours. Still no one has come. My head hurts and my vision is blurring. I've been upside down so long. Suddenly I hear voices in the distance.

It's probably my imagination, I'm hearing things. The blood is rushing to my head so I'm having hallucinations.

Then I see Speedy come running in. He stops under us and stares up.

"Brace yourselves," He says and aims his bow ready to shoot the ropes that have held us up here so long.

He shoots and the ropes break. We fall to the floor. I sit up and the blood flows back from my head. That was a terrible experience and I would like it if that never happened again.

"How did you find us?" I ask Speedy.

"Robin called us and told us where to find you," He says with a half smile.

"We need to get the rest of my team," Zelda says. "My team is searching the building I'm sure they'll find them," Speedy answers quickly.

I hear a strange buzzing noise. "What's that?" Merella asks. She sounds frightened. Speedy just smiles. Although I don't know why.

Then Bumblebee flies in.

"Did Speedy tell you about Robin?" My heart races and I immediately ask, "What happened?"

"Right after he got the message from you that this was a trap some guys broke into the tower and took, I think he said her name was Zenica? Anyway they took her," She explains.

Zelda's face goes white as a sheet. "They-did what!" Her voice begins to rise. "How could he let them take her?!" She yells angrily.

"It was not Robin's fault!" I don't usually yell, but when someone could blame Robin for such an awful thing that wasn't his fault, "he has to use crutches he cannot protect himself much less a five year old girl!" I tell her harshly.

She softens a little. "I'd forgotten about his leg, I'm sorry I yelled," She speaks softly and gently now. "But if anything happens to her-"

"Nothing will happen to her," I interrupt.

"We will find her and rescue her," I say.

Then Mos Y Menos and Aqualad come in with all the others.

"We must get back to Robin!" I say. "I agree," Cyborg speaks up. "We also need to find out how they knew we were coming," He says. I can tell he is angry.

As we walk away I notice someone is missing.

"Where's Fleo?" I ask.

"Um, he wasn't put in the same room as us, we assumed he was with you," Kodiac says with a slight frown.

"We should probably look for him," Bumblebee says. We begin searching the giant hideout but find nothing. Fleo is gone, he is not in any closet or any corner, no where.

"Well, we can only assume he's been taken somewhere else, for some other purpose," Zelda says sadly.

"Now we are returning to the tower and to Robin?" I ask impatiently.

"Yes Starfire, we are going to the tower," Bumblebee says with a funny smile.

So we head out. Along the way I remember Robin told me to always think back on what happened, he said sometimes it's easier to figure things out by looking back.

I remember Fleo's behavior this whole time. I don't like him, there is something about him that seems-it just doesn't seem right. I like all the other members of Fire Fury, recently Zelda told me Max and Merella are siblings, I like Merella, she gets easily scared sometimes but I like her a lot. Kodiac seems like a nice person too, he is sort of funny, like Beastboy, but he reminds me a lot of my friend Aqualad.

I like Shiloh too, she is strong and brave. I sometimes wonder where she got her scars, but I should not ask. She does not smile very much, in fact I do not think I have ever seen her smile. I think that it probably has something to do with those scars. She probably had some big trauma happen in her life that caused her to be unhappy. It's really quite sad.

I sigh I hope Robin is alright.

...

We finally arrive at the tower. I run upstairs. The living room is a mess! Glass broken from the walls lay shattered all around. The sofa looks like it was attacked by swords, and the dining table and chairs are knocked over and broken.

Robin is not in the room.

"Robin?" I call out his name. But no one answers. The others quickly come upstairs and look around.

"Wow, what happened to this place?" Zelda says when she sees the mess.

"The sofa!" Cyborg runs over and hugs the piece of furniture. I do not know why he has such a strange attachment to this thing.

"Take it easy Sparky," Bumblebee laughs at him. "It's fine, it can be replaced," I walk down the hall to Robin's door.

I knock first, just to be sure.

"Robin? Are you in there?" I hear a moan from inside his room.

I open the door. I scream and step back as the sight before me is so repulsive.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Bloodstained Sanity.

Blood. It lay everywhere. The stench of it filled the air as I stand in the doorway. Robin lay on the floor, his crutches tossed across the room out of his reach.

"Starfire! You alright?" I faintly hear Cyborg yelling as he runs down the hall. He stops next to me.

I can feel him recoil at the sight of Robin laying, dead.

"What's going on-" Bumblebee comes to us, followed by everyone else. She gasps and covers her mouth and nose as the smell of blood drifts through the air.

I step forward. Robin, oh Robin. There is so much blood, he has to be dead. The blood lay as a red sheet across the floor underneath Robin's body.

It covers over his bed and chest that sits at the foot of his bed.

I begin to cry, silently, so the others won't hear. My back is to them so they cannot see my tears.

I kneel down in front of Robin's still form, not caring that his blood smothers my knees. I touch his back. He is, warm. I see him breathing.

He is alive!

"Robin!" I squeal out. I lift him off the ground and sit him up, leaning against his bed post.

His eyes open a crack and I look into them.

"Robin?" I say quietly as the tears keep coming.

"Star-fire?" He says in a cracked, raspy voice.

"They came back," He says touching my cheek. His hand slips off my face as he does not have the strength to hold it there. Doing so he wipes blood across my face.

I do not care. Right now all I care about is the safety of my best friend. He is all that matters.

I gently lift him, I cannot put him in his own bed, it is too bloody. I could take him to mine, but he could easily roll off.

Beastboy's room is too messy and Cyborg sleeps on a flat surface. That leaves Raven's room.

"Cyborg don't we have a guest bedroom?" I turn and ask.

I know by the look on his face he sees the tears streaming down my face.

"Uh, yeah, um at the end of the hall," He says with a shocked look.

I turn back to Robin. I gently lift him off the ground and carry him to the back guest room.

I lay him in the bed and then get a wash rag to clean his wounds.

He is so beat up, he's got cuts all up his arms and a large bruise on the back of his head.

I almost can't stand the sight of him. Hurting so much. But I have to help him.

The tears will not go away, no amount of wiping at them will ever make them stop. This hurts me emotionally, as much as he is hurting physically. He winces as I try to be gentle in helping him.

I break down and sob every few minutes, but I keep working, tears still flowing.

~o0o~

"She's been in there way too long," I say as I watch the guest bedroom door that Star took Robin into almost an hour ago.

"Keep it cool Sparky," Bumblebee says. "She needs to help him, did you see that mess of blood?" She asks. "He must've been attacked by more than one assailant," She goes on.

"Yeah but, doesn't she need help in there?" I counter. "No, just let her tend to him alone," Bumblebee says firmly.

"Why?" I ask. I don't understand, why should I let her tend to him alone? He's my leader and friend too.

"Because, haven't you noticed she's in love with the guy? She wants to feel like she can take care of him all by herself," I frown. That's a good point but I still disagree.

"Come on Sparky," She says with a smile. "Haven't you ever been in love?" She asks.

My face turns red. I look away hoping she won't notice. She just laughs and stands up.

"Come on then," She says. "You can help clean the blood off Robin's floor," I shiver at the words. That, is gross.

But I follow her anyways.

~o0o~

Robin must awaken soon. He has to. I need him to wake up.

I am grateful that the others have not disturbed me, I cannot face them with all these tears.

"Oh Robin please, wake up!" I beg and tears flow faster. I can't bare to lose him, I love him.

I gasp and cover my mouth. Do I really love him? I think back, he's been my best friend since we met, and I do like him a lot. And he's so kind, and he cares about people, he is funny and smart, he always has a plan, and even though his temper does flare up sometimes, he is amazing. Not to mention handsome.

So I guess, in all honesty, I do love him. I love him.

"I love you," I whisper softly.

...

I barely catch the knock at the door. I sit up quickly. I had fallen asleep with my head resting on the edge of the bed Robin lay in.

Cyborg walks into the room. "Dinner," He says as he enters.

He sets down a tray with soup, toast, and a few grapes.

"I am not hungry," I say coldly.

He stops, surprised at my tone. "But, Zelda made it, you need to eat and keep your strength up," Right now he annoys me. I can't eat. How can I partake of that delicious food knowing Robin might not wake up?

At the thought a tear rolls down my face.

"I said I am not hungry," I say harshly and rather cold hearted.

He shrugs finally. "Ok, I'll just leave it in here just in case you get hungry,"

I am angry now. He does not even care that Robin is unconscious. He does not care that he may die. But I do. I do.

I jump up from my seat and throw the food tray at Cyborg. It hits his chest and spills to the ground. "I said I am not hungry!" I yell in his face.

He just stares at me a moment with an angry glare and I fear I have lost a friend.

"Alright Star," He says his own anger rising in his voice.

"I am sorry," I say quickly. "I am just afraid Robin will not wake up," My voice is high pitched and I am shaking in fear.

"I don't know what to do," I squeak. Cyborg's face softens and he steps closer bringing me into a tight embrace.

"It's ok Starfire, I'm here for you," He whispers caringly.

"I know, but I am so afraid," I say and begin sobbing. "I cannot go on with my life if Robin dies," I say through the tears and sobbing.

"I know, it's ok," Cyborg holds me tight and strokes my hair and I am reminded of the time when they were all away and Robin and I had fallen asleep on the couch together and he gently stroked my hair.

I wish he was awake now. "Star he's gonna be fine," Cyborg whispers to me.

"And what if he is not? What then?" I ask out of fear.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge if it comes," I feel a wet spot hit my head. I think Cyborg is crying too.

He does care. It does worry him, only he is strong and does not show worry, he is strong for the rest of us, he can keep from crying so that the rest of us have someone to cry to. Someone who can be strong for us. And brave for us.

I admire him greatly for it. If only I could be as strong, but I am weak, I cannot keep in the tears and be strong for the others. I am glad Cyborg can. They will need him. I will need him.

He finally lets go of me and grasps my shoulders steadily.

"Now you listen," He says seriously. "You will eat, and you will sleep, and you will not be glued to this room, got it?" He says.

I cry more. "I cannot, I have to stay, I can't eat knowing Robin is ill, he needs me Cyborg, and I need him," I say wiping away my tears but still more come.

"Starfire-"

"I love him!"

We stare. Cyborg knows, I can tell. But admitting it has surprised him.

"I do," I confirm. "I love him and I cannot leave his side," I say.

Cyborg nods. "Ok, but if you get hungry let me know," He says softly. I nod and turn back to my chair at Robin's bedside.

Cyborg cleans up the food mess on the floor and then leaves.

...

It's been days. Robin is still unconscious. I wait. Patiently, I wait.

He must awaken soon, I hope. Sometimes in the night he stirs, as though he is having a bad dream, I try to wake him, but he does not open his eyes or speak.

He moans every now and then, but no words. Sometimes some members of Fire Fury come to check on me, and sometimes Cyborg or Beastboy enter the room to see Robin.

I was told Titans East went home because of an emergency there.

I watch carefully in case he shows any signs of consciousness.

Nothing. I sigh. This is beginning to seem hopeless. I am constantly asking myself, 'what if he never wakes up?' The answer is always the same. I will die.

I cannot imagine life without him. I try but I can't. He's too important. I love him too much.

And if he does wake up? Will I have the courage to confess to him my feelings? And will they be mutual? I can only hope, a thing I've practically abandoned.

Yesterday the team came in to tell me they've made progress on finding Raven, and are one step closer to narrowing down her location.

I was excited, but my grief over Robin has caused me to show no emotion. I just sit. And stare out the window.

...

Another dream. In this one Robin never wakes up and the team is broken up. We all hated each other and I soon died without ever having any friends.

The nightmares are awful really. But I cannot control them. I can't choose not to dream them.

Robin moves slightly. I don't allow myself to get excited. He's done this often and I always end up disappointed when he doesn't wake up.

I hear him whispering something unintelligible. I move closer.

"Robin?" I whisper. "Sst-arr?" He chokes out.

"Robin! You are awake!" I smile big and dance around. I quickly sit on the edge of the bed.

"Look at the pony," What? What did he say?

"Isn't the kitten hideous? Get away!" He's not making any sense.

"I said get away!" He yells. I jump off the bed. Why is he telling me to get away?

"No no! Not you Star!" He says urgently. "The dragon," He's speaking clearly but his words do not make sense.

I am frustrated I do not understand.

"Be careful, or the spider will eat-your-spider-will eat-your-toys," He fades away and slips back into unconsciousness.

"Robin?" I call out. "Robin please!" I beg. I hold his hand in mine, hoping he will wake up and this time make sense.

"Robin I do not understand," I say. Tears come again. I don't bother trying to stop them. This is awful. Robin's mind has wandered from reality. I hold his hand and sob.

~o0o~

Starfire has just told us the news about Robin. He can't tell dream from reality. It's really quite devastating.

It's all a sad situation but right now I've got to work on finding Raven, Fleo, and Zenica, and stopping Droid with whatever evil plans he has this time.

"Cyborg do you mind if I use your computer?" I ask.

"Sure thing Zelda." He says. I walk over and begin my research.

...

"Tracking Droid is never easy, but I've got my ways," I say with a smile.

"Well, at least take a few people with you," Cyborg says. I roll my eyes.

"What? Don't think I can take care of this myself?" I retort, my hands on my hips.

"It's not that, it's for safety," He says quickly. I start heading out the door. "Ok, Merella, Shiloh, you're with me," I say and they follow.

"Why don't you take a guy," I stop in my tracks and turn to face him.

"We girls can handle ourselves, apparently you haven't seen us in action," I smirk and walk into the elevator.

"We going to Raff's?" Shiloh whispers once we're in the elevator. "Yep," I answer.

...

"We're lucky Raff still lives in Jump City," Merella states as we arrive at his auto shop.

"Yep," I knock three times on the back door, then kick it twice.

A small window slides silently open and Raff's eyes stare out at us.

The thing closes and the door opens. "Welcome girls!" The filthy man holds the door wide and extends his arm in welcome, with that dirty smile.

"I'm afraid this isn't a social call Raff," He looks startled for a moment. "No ones used that name in awhile, this must be important," He says. "You know, confidential," He closes the door behind us as we walk inside.

He has a dirty, musty place. Not very big either. "With all the money you get you'd think you could live in a better place," I note. "Yes well, I like it here, if you know what I mean," He says with a grin.

"Well, lets get to the point," I say. I'd sit down but his furniture is covered in dust and dirt.

"I'm looking for Droid, hear anything?" I ask. Raff frowns.

"Hmm, seems I heard something," He begins but doesn't continue.

"What is it?" I press for an answer.

"Well, I could be persuaded," He rubs his fingers together indicating he wants money.

I light a blue flame in my palm, "Could you now?" I say walking closer to him. He stares at the fire, and backs away.

"Uh, well, ok ok, no money," He says.

"I heard it from John that he's planning something big,"

"Tell me something I don't know!" I snap, the flame beginning to rise. I grab him by his shirt collar.

"Um, ok, he's making some sort of weapon, out of this space rock, he needs more of it, I can tell you where to find it, also, he needs that girl uh, the Teen Titan, um-"

"Raven?"

"Yeah yeah!" He snaps his fingers. "That's the one, he needs her for her powers, something to do with the firing mechanism of this weapon, he's calling it the Weapon of Mass Destruction," I ponder this. What can it do?

"Anything else?" I ask.

"Um, oh! You should probably check out the Legend of Kiow," I raise an eyebrow.

"What's it about?" I ask curiously.

"I've given you enough, you can figure that one out on your own," He smirks. I release my grip on his shirt and he drops to the ground but quickly stands.

"You lovely ladies have a nice day now," He says still smiling as we leave.

"I don't like him," Merella says as we walk out. "He's filthy, you'd think he could afford a bath," She says her nose coiling from the stench of his house.

I laugh. "Let's go girls," I fly up and take hold of Shiloh's hands and carry her back to the tower with Merella flying by my side.

...

"Where've you girls been?" Cyborg asks once we enter the main living room.

"At a friends," I answer simply.

"While we were there he told us something interesting about a legend," I walk to the computer and google 'The Legend of Kiow'

Everyone gathers around to watch.

I search the results and finally click a link. Merella reads it aloud,

"'The Chinese Legend of Kiow is an ancient tale of a man who wanted to destroy the earth, his name was Ling Hiow, he created a weapon using a space rock he'd found, as the legend goes he finished the weapon but didn't use it, he wanted to wait for the right time, he soon met and fell in love with the princess of Rome, Princess Ravein, but sadly he was going to destroy the world, and his precious princess. He soon devised a plan to save both her, and himself. He theorized strapping her to the underside of the giant weapon, would keep her out of harms way, but he never got the chance to use his weapon for he was caught by the princess's betrothed, Prince Andrew, the weapon was destroyed and the plans were lost in the ancient Chinese underground tunnels, Ling Hiow went missing and was never seen or heard from again,'"

"Whoa," Max says.

"Space rock?" Merella says with a half smile. I can tell by her tone she's reminding us of what Raff had said.

"Yeah, do you know what this means?" I push my chair back and stand up.

"Droid is planning to destroy the world!" I hear a loud thump come from the back room.

"What was that?" Merella asks a little frightened.

Shiloh loads an arrow and holds her bow ready to strike.

I barely hear Starfire's voice coming through the hall.

"Robin no! You need to rest!" She yells. I run down the hall to her assistance.

There Robin is crawling on the floor with Starfire trying to help him stand.

He looks at me. "It's the king," He says with a dreamy smile. What on earth is he talking about?

I bend down and help Starfire carry him back to the bed.

Robin stares at Starfire. "You know something?" He asks her.

"Robin, I cannot do this, you are losing your mind, I can't keep playing your games," Starfire sounds frustrated.

Robin looks to her fondly. I'd almost think he was sane if he didn't keep hallucinating, he opens his mouth to speak, "I love you Star,"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Lost in Minutes.

Did Robin just-did he just say he loved me?

It's his mind. He cannot think right, he doesn't love me. His mind isn't working right.

"Robin, you need to rest," I say and pull his covers up.

I did not even notice Zelda leave the room. But she is gone.

Robin's eyes close and I sit down. I sigh. This is hard, he does not know what is going on. He is like a small child, so helpless and dependent.

He can't think for himself. It scares me, I am beginning to doubt if he will ever return to normal.

But if he does not, I will take care of him forever, I will help him as he cannot help himself.

~o0o~

"We need to find his new hideout, it's imperative that we stop him from destroying the earth," Zelda tells everyone.

I glance over at Kodiac, he is already looking at me. I quickly look away.

I can't think of any way of finding Droid's hideout, the last time we found his first hideout wasn't easy, and there were too many guards, but still we'd found it, and I believe we can find it again.

I glance at Max. He's doing something on his laptop. I wonder what it-

"Shiloh, can you come with me for a second," I quickly look over. Zelda is walking towards me.

I nod and follow her down the hall so the others won't hear.

"I need you to find John, ask him to use his Tracker to find Fleo, I think Fleo may be at Droid's hideout being held prisoner, Droid doesn't know Fleo is wearing a tracker, so please, hurry," She says. I nod and head out.

"Wait, Zelda," I suddenly remember.

"Yes?"

"Does Zenica have a tracker?" I ask.

"Listen I know you don't trust Fleo, but he's a part of our team too and he's a good person,"

I know I should trust Fleo. But he's a hard person to trust. I've known him for years, but still.

"Ok," I say and leave.

...

I have to do it. I take a deep breath. I jump from the power line pole to John's roof.

It was a far jump, but I made it.

I carefully walk over to the edge of the house.

Suddenly someone grabs my foot. A feeling of panic overwhelms me as I am dragged over the edge of the roof and in the window.

I lay on the floor now at someone's feet. Then I know.

"You always were better at sneaking around than me," I say as I stand and look into John's eyes.

"Good to see ya Scarlet," His old nickname for me sounds good to hear after all these years.

He pulls me in for a hug. "It's been awhile," He says.

"Yes it has," I agree.

"What is it this time Scarlet? Espionage? someone threatening your city? Oh! I know, it's a bomb you need me to disarm," He says with a wink.

"None of the above, I need you to track a member of our team," I say.

John nods slowly. "Hmm, spying on a teammate eh?" He says casually.

"It's not that," I answer. "Zelda thinks he was kidnapped," I say.

"And what do you think?" John asks. He caught me off guard.

"I have other opinions," I say crossing my arms over my chest. John smirks. He walks over to his Tracker and starts typing.

"Name?"

"Fleo,"

"Ah, big bad Fleo aye?" He says with humor in his tone.

"This could take awhile, have a seat Scarlet," I sit down on his bed and take a look around the room.

He has pictures hanging everywhere. I see most of them have me in it.

There's one right after I'd gotten my scars. That's where the nickname Scarlet came from. John and I had just met, he asked my name and where I'd gotten the scars. I was shy back then, I still am, but anyways I told him my name and stumbled out scars at the same time. He thought I said scarloh, that's what it sounded like, so he said Scarlet was easier to remember, so ever since he's called me Scarlet.

"Done," I'm pulled out of my reverie by John's voice.

I get up and walk over. "Right there, I can print you a map," He says. I nod and he begins printing.

"Be careful Shiloh," He only uses my real name when it's serious.

"This seems suspicious," He says in a low tone. I nod understandingly.

"I will,"

"Scarlet," Just as I'm leaving he grabs my shoulder. "Don't hesitate to stop by any time," He says with a smile. I nod. But there are several reasons why I shouldn't come back.

I only came this time because this will help find Zenica, even if it is a trap.

...

I arrive back at the tower.

"You get anything?" Zelda asks immediately.

"I did," I hand her the map. She takes it and looks. "It's under ground," She says.

"So," Merella comes over and stands by me. "How was it, seeing John again?" She asks with a smile on her face.

"I got the Tracker results, we should get going," Just because John is in love with me doesn't mean it's any of their business.

And it doesn't mean I'm in love with him.

Zelda shows the map to the others and we prepare to leave.

~o0o~

After everyone's passed around the map, I walk to the back room to tell Starfire where we're going.

I open the door a crack.

"Robin, you need to eat," I hear her voice from behind the door. I open it wider and see she's trying to feed Robin some soup.

"But Raven is still outside," Robin still hasn't got his sanity back.

I step inside. "Sorry to bother you," I say.

"But we've tracked down Fleo and we're heading to his location," I say.

"Alright, thank you for telling me Zelda," Starfire manages a weak smile. I can tell she's tired. Robin keeps her up half the night with his tales of all kinds of strange things.

"Fleo?" Robin sits up in bed quickly. "But he was taken by Droid," That's the first sensible thing he's said this whole time.

"That's right he was," I say enthusiastically. "And, and Zenica," He goes off. "I let them take her!" Now his voice sounds panicked.

I wonder if he could be returning to normal now. "Great," Robin throws his hands up in the air in frustration.

"Now Silkie ate my foot," Nope. Still insane.

I sigh. "Well, we're gonna go ok Star?" She nods sadly and tiredly.

"I'm gonna leave Shiloh here to help you take care of Robin, is that alright?" I ask only because I know she's Robin's special friend and wants to take care of him herself.

"Yes, that is fine thank you," She smiles a little. "Ok, you can go take a nap and she can watch Robin for awhile," I suggest. Starfire is hesitant to accept the offer at first, but the tiredness wins over and she agrees.

"Bye," I say as I head out.

...

Back in the main room everyone stands waiting.

"Shiloh, you're staying with Starfire, the rest of you, move out," I order. They all nod and we leave.

~o0o~

I don't know why I got picked to stay. It's not like they couldn't use my skills.

But whatever, I can handle babysitting the Teen Titan's leader. Right?

I walk to the back and check on Starfire.

"You ok?" I ask. I immediately note the dark circles under her eyes. She's really tired.

"You go rest, I'll watch Robin," I say compassionately.

She looks over to Robin who is sleeping. "Ok," She consents.

She gets up and leaves. I take her spot on the chair and watch.

This is extremely boring. Watching a man sleep is the worst job I've ever been assigned.

Why couldn't Merella stay? Or even her brother Max? Or Zelda?

Well, Zelda's the leader, she had to go, no option there. But still, Kodiac could've stayed for all I care, I just don't wanna be here.

Robin stirs on the bed and opens his eyes.

"Stt-arr," He mumbles. "They came back," I stand and look at him. His eyes are so full of fear I jump back. That's the scariest thing I've ever seen.

I come closer again. I just look at him.

"They took her Speedy! They took her!" He yells.

Speedy. Isn't that the name of that guy who rescued us back at Droid's old hideout?

Robin suddenly sits up in bed.

"They came back!" He yells at the top of his lungs. "How could I let them take her?" He goes on.

"Robin!" I try to calm him but he's too excited.

"Staarr-ffire!" He screams her name in a blood curdling cry.

She's in the room in an instant.

"I can't calm him down!" I say panic rising. "Robin!" She yells.

"No! Slade! Get away! Let her go!" He's throwing his fists up and swinging at the air.

"No!" He drops down. He's on his knees his face buried in his hands. He sobs.

"Starfire," I hear his muffled voice whimper.

"Robin?" She walks close and places her hand on his shoulder. He looks up at her tears streaming.

"She's dead," He says with a lump in his throat.

"She's gone, my precious Star on Fire," He puts his face back in his hands and sobs some more.

"Robin I am right here," She says gently.

"No no, she's gone forever," He argues.

"Slade got her," Who's this 'Slade'?

I'll find out later.

"Robin, shh," Starfire adjusts him so he is laying down on his back. She pulls the covers up ever so gently.

"Sleep now," She whispers. Robin closes his eyes once again.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," I say. "Go sleep now," I tell the exhausted girl.

"It is not your fault," She replies with a smile. I'm shocked. She's so nice to me. Next to Zelda, she's the nicest girl I've met.

She yawns. "I will come back later," She says cheerily.

As she walks out I take my seat again. This time maybe he'll stay asleep.

~o0o~

I lead the team to Droid's hideaway. Posted out front are guards, they swarm the place.

"Alright, Cyborg, Merella, you're with me, Beastboy, Kodiac, I'm gonna need a distraction, Max, uh, help whoever needs it," I tell them. They all nod ready to go.

"Let's move!" I whisper and we're off down the side of the hill. We need to stop Droid's plans. If he goes through with them everything will be lost in minutes.

I press up against the side wall, trying not to be seen.

Cyborg and Merella are at my sides. I look to them and they nod. We move out from our place just as Kodiac and Beastboy come running from the forest.

Half the guards go after the two boys, while the other half remain standing watch.

We sneak behind them but unfortunately not sneaky enough, one of them catches sight of us and starts shooting.

I throw flames at them while Cyborg blasts them with his sonic cannon and Merella hits them with the lasers in her eyes.

Pretty soon we take all of them down. I rush towards the door.

I grab the handle but I'm electrocuted.

I fall to the ground.

"You alright?!" Cyborg yells.

"Yes! I can handle it." I say firmly. Suddenly and mysteriously the door opens. It just crashes open.

Then I see it was Max. He opened the door with his mind.

Good boy, I smile to myself. Spargus taught him well.

We rush inside and are immediately swarmed by guards. They shoot at us with their laser guns but we push them back.

Cyborg shoots a bunch of them away. This seems easy. Almost like they want us to beat them.

We beat them. We follow the map down a dark hall and are met by more guards with bigger weapons.

~o0o~

Robin's been asleep for quite some time. So has Starfire. I sit alone and bored in the room.

I wonder what the others have accomplished so far.

I guess I won't know till they get back.

Robin is out cold. It doesn't seem like he'll wake up anytime soon.

I sigh. I wish I was with my team.

"Shiloh?" I hear Stafire's voice call softly from behind me.

I turn around. "He's still sleeping," I whisper.

"That's ok, I came to see if you would like to have some coffee, and maybe talk, and get to know each other better," She says.

I don't know if I want to. But I kind of feel like I need to.

"Alright," I get up and follow her out to the couch.

I guess this would be better than watching Robin sleep.

Starfire graciously hands me a cup of coffee and we sit down to talk.

"So, exactly how many are on your team?" I ask.

"Only five," She answers. "Robin, our leader, then there's Cyborg, and Beastboy, and Raven who is kidnapped right now, and then me," She explains. I nod.

She looks at me funny. "There's something you want to know?" I ask.

She shakes her head.

"You want to ask about my scars," I answer for her.

She looks at me. "I do not wish to remind you of the past," She says kindly.

"It's ok, I can tell you the story if you want," I feel like I owe it to her. She's been so kind to me, and I never leave a debt unpaid.

"Alright," She replies and gets comfortable.

"It was three years ago," I start the memory.

"We were going after a villain who called himself Con, we'd broken his machine to destroy the city, and were in the middle of a hard, long battle,"

-flashback-

"Kodiac! I need you and Spark!"

I yell out as I shoot an enemy with an arrow.

"Gotcha!" Kodiac swings over behind me and helps fight all the men surrounding me.

Spark soon enters the fight and we take em all down.

... -

"Now, Spark was a member of our team before he was killed, he could electrocute you with his lightening bolts, he couldn't fly but he could leap very high," I explain to Starfire.

...-

All of them are wiped out. I stand there panting, out of breath.

I smile as Spark goes for a high five. "Thanks guys," I say.

Suddenly there's a loud boom in the distance.

"Kodiac! Spark! Merella! At my side!" Zelda calls out. They quickly go with her into the woods.

I am left behind, as well as Max and Fleo.

I get my bow and arrows ready.

Suddenly a giant bear rushes out at Max from the woods.

I shoot it several times but it still runs at him.

He's only eight, and can't fully control his powers.

I jump in front of him just as the bear lunges forward.

I am pinned to the ground by this monster who growls loudly in my face.

I manage to shove him off and leap up.

I shoot him with about two dozen arrows but he's still alive and chasing me.

I scream for Fleo's help but he remains motionless.

Max is too scared to do anything and Zelda has the rest of the team.

The bear is gaining on me. I flip around and shoot him with an arrow dipped in sleep medicine.

He stops momentarily and shakes his head. But that doesn't stop him.

He lunges forward and attacks me head on.

I grasp an arrow in my hand as I am pinned down. I stab it in his chest but he's still fighting.

I crawl out from under the filthy animal. With one swipe of his left paw he sends me flying.

My hair falls out of its braid partially. I feel the blood dripping down my face as he charges again.

My face stings and I am running out of patience. Why won't it die?

I shoot him again, and again. But still he runs after me.

I'm losing energy. The giant creature is gaining on me.

I turn around to shoot but he's closer than I thought. He swipes at me with his right paw slicing my eye strait down in half.

I fall to the ground. I scream. My eye, it hurts like hell.

I hear a zapping noise, covering my eye I push the hair, that had fallen out of its braid completely, away from my face.

Spark is zapping the big thing but it still is not dead.

"Spark! Look out!" The bear turns on him and splices his leg.

"No!" I scream out. Blood is dripping from my face as I run towards my partner.

The bear attacks him, no matter how many times Spark shocks him he is still splicing at his ribs and face.

Spark screams in agony.

I only have one shot. I better make it.

Taking a poison dipped arrow in my right hand I run forward.

"Heeeyy beeaarr!" I yell, with all my strength I jump high above this monster.

He turns up to look at me. I am falling down on him fast. I've got to make it.

I land on his chest, shoving the arrow down deep into his heart.

There is a momentary stillness. No one moves, no one breathes, the bear is motionless.

Then he cries out in fury. He falls to he ground. Dead.

I've done it. I've killed the bear that killed my partner.

-back to reality-

"That night I cried myself to sleep, Spark was more than a friend, he was my partner, my best friend, we told each other everything," I say as the story comes to a close.

"Ever since then, it's been hard for me to trust anyone, or get close to anyone," I say.

"I'm afraid that if I get too close, I'll lose them," Starfire's eyes are full of sympathy.

I can tell she cares a lot about people. She's too kind.

"Is that why you never smile?" She suddenly asks. "You are never happy anymore, maybe you lost him, but you will not lose everyone," She says.

Maybe she's right. But I'm just too afraid. I've lost so many others.

"I lost my parents when I was very young," I say. Starfire looks startled for a moment.

"And I lost my brother, a fire caused by a man named Mad Mod," I tell her.

I become angry at the memory. He killed them. And I hate him.

"Everyone I get close to dies, I'm cursed with that, I can't do this, I can't lose everyone I care about," I say. I feel a tear coming, but I hold it back.

"You care about Zelda, and she is not going to die," Starfire encourages me.

"I've tried, I've told myself not to get attached to them, but I did," I say.

"And now look, Zenica is gone, she's probably dead," I take a deep breath trying to calm my nerves.

"It is your choice wether to keep on living with the fear that everyone will die, or you could go on caring about people, you can get attached to them and love them, because not everyone will die just because you care, sure lots of close friends might die, but not all of them," I look into Starfire's eyes.

She's right. I need to let go of this fear. I need to trust people, and care about people, no matter what.

I get up and hug her.

"Are you my friend Starfire?" I ask as tears flow only through my left eye. The scar blocks the tears from my right eye.

"Yes," Starfire hugs me tighter. "I will be your friend forever," She says.

We let go and look at each other. I smile for the first time since Spark died.

She smiles too. And I know, we'll be great friends till the end.

~o0o~

We take a breather. We've beaten the majority of the guards by now.

I stand up. "Let's go," I say and everyone follows.

We head down a dark tunnel, it gets darker so I light a flame in my palm.

Holding it close to the map I look to where we're going.

This tunnel should lead to a small room where Fleo should be being held.

...

We've walked almost for an hour. We're getting close.

Finally, I stop in front of the door. I push it open silently.

There stands Fleo in front of a computer with-Droid!

I quickly take on a fighting stance and the others follow my lead.

"Don't move Droid!" I command.

His snake-like, taunting laugh rings out.

"Ah bravo! You've made it past my unsuspecting guards," He says clapping his hands.

I don't get it. Fleo isn't chained to a wall or even tied with rope. He just stands there.

"Brilliant performance really, I saw it all," He points to a screen mounted on the wall.

"Oh and the way you just walked into my trap in the old hideout was amazing," He smirks.

I light a huge flame that goes all up my arms, almost touching my face.

"You're gonna get it for taking my friends!" I say.

He just laughs. "Your friends?" He laughs more.

"I don't believe you understand, this young man wanted to come," He gestures at Fleo who stands smiling.

This doesn't make sense. "What?" I ask for an explanation.

"Well, Zelda," Fleo starts off in a calm tone. "Who do you think it was that told Droid you were coming to his old hideout?"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Mind Games.

I can do this. I know deep down what reality is. But I can't reach it.

Starfire has taken care of me for a long time.

She is like my mother. She feeds me. She helps me. She tells me to be calm when I am going crazy.

My heart races sometimes and I get afraid. Sometimes I see Slade, sometimes I see lots of weird things. I know deep inside they're not real, but I just can't help it.

Sometimes I wake up and I have no idea what I did before that. I have no idea what happened or who I am.

The only thing I know for sure is Starfire. She's always there. She's always helping me, always.

I need her wether she realizes it or not. I can't do anything, and it frustrates me.

I am asleep. I know that. I am dreaming of everything that's happened.

Wake up. I can't. Wake up!

My eyes open. Someone else is in the room on the chair.

"Starfire," I whisper.

"Stay calm," This girl says. "Go back to sleep,"

I want to tell her I'm not tired, and that I want Starfire but for some reason I can't.

"But- I-I need her-to come, kill the spider!" I see a spider crawling around the wall. For some reason everything I think of just comes out and I say it.

"Do birds have wings?" I can't stop myself from going insane. Most things I blurt out don't make any sense whatsoever.

I try but it's too hard. I cannot pull myself together and just be normal.

Then Starfire walks in. I feel better already.

"Starfire," I say with a smile. Then I remember her being killed by Slade.

I don't remember if that was real or a dream. And I don't know if Starfire is really here or if this is a hallucination again.

"Star, you're dead," I think she's a hallucination. The image of her being killed by Slade is too real for her to be alive.

And the Starfire standing at my bedside is fuzzy. My vision is blurry.

I must be dreaming.

~o0o~

Robin is still in a dazed state. I don't know how long he will be like this. It's too much.

He needs to come back. His mind needs to be normal again.

"Thank you for sitting with him Shiloh," I say as she stands.

She smiles. It is a good thing to see her smiling.

"You're welcome," She walks out of the room leaving me alone with Robin.

"What about that figurine?" Robin speaks from his bed.

"Robin, enough, I need you to try to be normal," I say.

"But Star, we still haven't found the guy who took the green statuette," He pleads.

Actually, he is right. We still haven't caught that thief.

"Robin?" I say hopefully. "Are you back to normal?" I ask.

He doesn't answer. He just stares at the ceiling.

"Raven is nice," He whispers. I sigh.

He is lost. There is no hope of him ever returning.

~o0o~

I remind Star of that guy who broke into the bank and stole that green pig-like statuette.

She asks if I've returned to normal.

I want to say yes, I want to tell her I'm fine, but I can't!

I hate being like this. She doesn't know that I know I'm fine.

For some reason I said Raven is nice. I hate this. I hate to see her hurting. But, she was killed.

"I need soap," Why did I say that? Everything is spinning out of control. I can't control my own mind.

It's killing me. I need to snap out of this.

"Starfire!" I yell her name. She's dead. I know she's dead. But is this real? Is any of it real? What's real? And what's not real?

I don't know! I just don't know!

"Starfire I miss you! You're dead and I miss you!" I yell it. I don't remember anything.

Who is this? Who am I? What's the place I'm in?

"Starfire help!" I call for her. She just sits there.

"Starfire!" I must be dreaming. If this was real she'd be helping me.

Actually if this was real she'd be dead. Slade killed her. And took Raven from me.

"Star-" Tears stream down my face. I can't even control that.

~o0o~

Robin is sleeping again. I take a deep breath. Even though he'll never return to normal I will never stop being his friend. I will help him. I will protect him.

If he cannot be leader of Teen Titans who can?

I think Cyborg is the best choice. Or Raven.

I will no longer be a member of the team.

I will be with Robin, helping him with everything he needs.

I relax in my chair. If I have to be like this forever, then forever will be a long time.

...

I wonder how the others are doing. I wonder if they've gotten into the hideaway yet.

My head hurts and I feel like I might be getting sick.

I remember all the things we did. All the times we saved the city from evil men trying to destroy it.

I remember when we met up with Beastboy's former team, the Doom patrol. I remember fighting against The Brain.

I remember when they were targeting titans and how we fought to stop them.

Robin was so fearless. No matter how bad things got he always had hope.

I remember fighting Raven's father Trigon, I remember how hard that was. And when all seemed lost, we pulled through. We saved the city.

I remember how scared I was when Robin was obsessed with Slade. And how he thought he was there when he really wasn't.

He was haunted by him. He thought he was fighting Slade but he wasn't there.

Tears start flowing down my cheeks.

"Oh Robin, why can't you come back to me? I need you, we all need you," I cry. I lay my head on his chest and cry.

I just let it out. This is all too terrible. We need our leader. No one can take his place. No one.

I cry because I need my friend back, I do not care if he never likes me the way I like him, just as long as he can be sane, and be my friend and leader.

I cry because of all the people in the world, I choose Robin, I love Robin.

I cry because this isn't fair. Why him? Why couldn't someone else be going insane? Life isn't fair. Life's never fair. I cry just so I can cry.

I cry because if I could take his place I would! I would switch with him in an instant so he could be normal.

...

My eyes slowly open. Someone's stroking my hair. I must've fallen asleep.

My head is on Robin's lap. I am so tired.

Then I realize. It must be Robin who is stroking my hair gently.

"Robin?" I sit up quickly and look at him. He's sitting with his back leaned up against his headboard.

He's smiling at me. I just stare at him.

"You seem tired," He says in a casual tone. "What am I doing in the guest bed anyways?" He asks. He almost seems normal.

"You-" I begin to explain but he interrupts.

"What happened to me?" He looks down at his bandages all over his arms.

"I ache all over, what happened Star?" He seems normal. Could he be?

"Remember, I found you in your bedroom on the floor, you said they came back,"

He looks at me as if he's really confused.

"Oh yeah, I remember now," Robin is normal! He is!

"Robin? You are normal?" I must confirm.

"Well, of course," He replies as if he has no idea he'd ever been insane.

I jump up and throw my arms around his neck.

"You are normal!" I yell.

"Whoa whoa, why wouldn't I be normal?" He asks puzzled. I cannot grasp how joyful I feel. This is most wonderful. I have my friend back, and the Titans have a leader again.

I finally let go of his neck.

"Your mind went crazy after you were attacked," I explain. "You couldn't tell dream from reality, but you are fine now, yes?"

He nods. I smile. "This is most wonderful," I announce cheerfully.

"Yeah, um, how long have I been like that?" He asks a hint of curiosity in his tone.

"Almost a week," I say. His eyes go big.

"That long?" He says shocked.

"And have you found the new thief yet?" He asks. "Or Raven? And Zenica?"

I shake my head. "But the others have found Droid's hideout and are there now," I tell him.

He takes my hand in his and holds it tight. "And everyone else is alright?" He asks fearfully.

"Fleo was kidnapped, but everyone else is fine," I say. Robin smiles. "Good," He says. "Oh, but that's not good about Fleo," He says quickly.

"Yeah," Although I do not like Fleo, it is still too bad he was kidnapped.

"Yes, I wonder if they have found him yet," I say.

"We need to do what we can to figure things out," Robin says and throws off the covers. He gets out of bed and stands on his own.

"Robin!" I am shocked. "Your leg is better!" I announce. He walks a few steps.

"Yeah," He says and heads for the door.

I follow him out to the living room. Shiloh sat on the couch holding the ring Robin found at the bank crime scene a week ago.

"Robin?!" She is surprised to see him up and walking.

"Robin is better," I say happily. "He is no longer insane," I tell her. She nods slowly but unsure.

"I found a little ringlet on your computer desk and it had writing on it, it's in German," She says. Robin stops and looks at her.

"Do you know what it says?" He asks. "Sure, I speak German," She answers.

Robin hops over and sits on the couch by her.

"Well? What does it say?" He asks curiously.

"Die Legende von Masse, it means Legend of Mass," She answers.

Robin thinks a moment before speaking.

"And did you guys ever find out who that guy was?" He asks.

"What guy?" Shiloh says.

Robin goes to the computer and pulls up the security video link. After showing her she tells him that man is Droid.

"Droid? Really?" I inquire.

"Yep," She confirms.

"But why would he need that figurine?" Robin ponders. Then I remember he wasn't awake when we figured that part.

"Robin, Droid is planning to destroy the world, and that is why he took Raven and those figurines," I tell him. "They will help him build his weapon somehow,"

"Also," Shiloh speaks up.

"The figurine from the Jade Quan wasn't stolen, the old man gave it to Droid, but we don't know why, there's something curious about that shop," She says. Robin nods slowly.

He's trying to put the puzzle pieces together.

"I wonder how the team is doing at Droid's hideout," He says thinking hard.

"We should go to the Jade Quan and investigate," Robin stands up preparing to leave.

"Robin!" I say. "Are you sure you should be going out?" I am worried something may happen to him.

"Sure, I'll be fine, you girls can come," He will not listen. He will go to the Jade Quan anyways no matter what I say.

"Alright," Since I cannot change his mind I will just go with him and protect him.

"Raven was kidnapped right? That wasn't just a dream?" Robin asks. He is confused, I know. Although his mind is back to normal he doesn't remember if certain things were real or not.

"Yes," I answer.

"And, they took Zenica, didn't they?" He is really confused.

"Yes," I say. He nods and then we leave for the Jade Quan.

~o0o~

I remember some things from when my mind was crazy. But not everything. Most things I remember I'm not sure are real.

We head out to the Jade Quan to investigate. I have a feeling we'll find something there. I just don't know what.

Starfire walks close by my side as we head to the garage. I think she's worried about me.

I remember clearly that she was always by my bedside. Taking care of me.

I smile. She's such a big help. I'm glad to have a friend like her.

Shiloh walks kind of behind us. She doesn't talk much, but I'm sure she's a good fighter.

In the garage I get out my motor cycle. Since Shiloh can't fly she puts on a helmet and climbs on the back. Starfire just flies beside us.

She expresses her worry that I might crash driving this thing, but I need to get there fast and I can't fly, so she finally consents and lets me drive it.

...

We finally arrive at the Jade Quan. Cyborg wasn't wrong when he said the man wasn't very cooperative.

He's a feisty old Chinese man, and I can tell he hides many secrets.

"Why did you give Droid the green statuette?" I demand for the third time.

"For the last time, I don't know who this person is!" He yells.

I slam my fists on the desk. "Then who did you give the figurine to?" I ask. He thinks a moment. "He never told me his name, but I gave it to some guy," He finally admits.

"Ok, that's better," I say. Although I know he's lying, we've made a little progress.

"We need to have a look around your shop," I tell him.

"No." He says firmly. I try to walk past him but he jumps in my way.

"Sir, we are trying to stop a man from destroying the world, somehow there's a connection between him and your shop, we need to find it," I say gritting my teeth in frustration.

I feel Starfire grab my shoulder.

"Robin, take it easy," She whispers. I nod and then turn back to the shop owner.

"Don't you care that the world is gonna end? You have to let us through," The old man doesn't move. He stares me down.

He finally steps aside and I walk in.

Taking a look around, I try to find any clues about Droid and his end of the world plans.

I walk over a carpet in the middle of the floor.

There's a hallow sound. I move the mat. A trap door is revealed.

The old man comes running in. "You can't go in there!" He yells.

"Why not?" I challenge bravely. He stutters. "Uh, well, um, there are-mold spores! Yeah, it's not safe," He says. I know he's lying. Again.

I grab the handle and tug. It's locked.

"Where's the key?!" I demand harshly. "I told you! You cannot go down there!" He says angrily.

"I need to," I walk around the room looking for the key. I can't find it.

It's not anywhere. Then I see it. On the top shelf of a very large bookshelf.

I grab a small ladder and climb up and get it. The old man is throwing a fit. Complaining that I don't listen or follow orders.

I just ignore him and unlock the trap door. Once it's open the girls follow me down a flight of stairs.

A few torches line the walls here and there, but otherwise it's dark.

We walk and walk. The stairs seem to go on forever.

Suddenly I feel faint. Dizziness consumes me and I lean against the wall.

"Robin?" Starfire's worried voice echoes through the chamber.

"Maybe we should take a rest," Shiloh suggests.

"No," I tell them sternly. "We have to keep going," I stand up strait and walk on.

...

There comes a part of the tunnel where it's too dark to see. Starfire uses her starbolts as a light and we press on.

Finally we come to the end. It's nothing. Just a stone wall.

"No," I whisper. This can't be. Why would-wait. I see it. One stone brick that's different from the rest. I reach over and push it.

The stone wall slides open revealing several barred rooms. They look like prison cells.

As I walk by I see people in them. I realize he's been kidnapping random citizens.

There's Mark, the mailman. Bill the newspaper guy. And George, the cabbage salesmen. All these people, then I notice, they're all men. No women have been taken.

Except when we come to the end. In a big chamber that spirals upward, someone sits in the shadows.

She coughs and shivers. I step up and look hard trying to see who it is.

"Oh my- Starfire come quick! You won't believe this!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hai guys. I think that the other chapters have been kinda eh, but this one I think is good, we find out more on why Robin went a little crazy, also the ending is kind of sad, I hope you guys like it but please let me know truthfully what you think! Leave reviews!**

** Chapter 7: Ticking Clock. **

So it was Fleo who betrayed us. Maybe Shiloh was right not to trust the dirty rat.

I throw my flames at him in anger. My own teammate a traitor.

Why? What does he possibly gain by destroying the world? He was probably bribed with money. His weakness.

The flame flies at him but he dodges it. The fire catches on Droid's machines but I quickly put it out with one sweep of my arm.

"Traitor!" I accuse him. He laughs in mockery. "It took you long enough to figure it out, your friend Starfire was close though," I stare at him in disgust.

"It was you," I look at him as the realization hits. "You did something to Robin, why? Don't you know the agony Starfire went through," I am shocked he would ever do such a thing.

I should've known not to trust him. I should've seen the signs.

"Yes! Oh yes! I wanted her to lose all hope! All of it!" He says crazily. "I wanted her to feel the gut wrenching pain of watching the one you love suffer," I think he's the one who's gone truly mad.

"Oh yes, I watched her as she suffered from him suffering, the only downside was seeing the overjoyed look when the stuff wore off, I would've sent a few of the guys to snuff him out but you got here just in the nick of time," He smirks and I just want to puke. He's so perverted and evil to stoop so low as to attack the innocent.

"I should've known," I mumble. "Should've known that I'd become a complete sociopath? Or should've known we'd have a trap waiting for you," He grins.

"Get out!" I yell to my team. Cyborg and Merella manage to escape just as a giant crate is lowered onto Max and I.

It's black and there are no air holes. Then I realize. We're gonna suffocate.

"I'd say there's about, oh, sixty minutes of air left, happy suffocation!" Fleo's crazed voice is heard from outside the wall.

"Zelda?" Max sounds more frightened than ever.

He's only eleven. Why did he have to get caught too?

"It's alright Max," I say assuredly. "Cyborg and Merella got away, they'll save us,"

"Not as long as you're in here with all my guards on duty!" Fleo mocks us with an evil laugh.

Droid hasn't said a word. That's so unlike him. He's probably too busy creating his doomsday device.

"Don't listen to him Max," I whisper. "We'll be fine," I say. Max nods and buries his head in my arms. I hold him tight, I don't know how long we'll survive in this hot box.

"Oh yeah, did I forget to mention you may die of heat stroke before you suffocate? Oopsies!" Fleo is a madman.

~o0o~

Starfire rushes over just as I called her. The look on her face when she sees her, huddled in the corner, shivering.

The jail door is locked, it won't open as I tug at it. "I need the key! Raven, do you know where it is?"

She tries to stand in her cell, but she looks really weak.

"In-the-office," She was barely able to whisper.

"Office, where's that?" I ask urgently.

She suddenly has a coughing fit and hides in her corner. "Over-there," She says in a raspy voice and points to my left.

I look. There's a door. Opening it I see a desk with papers flooding the floor.

The girls and I quickly dig through everything.

"Aha, very sneaky," I turn to see what Shiloh is talking about.

She's standing on a chair and reaching for something. Then I see it. Hanging from the corner of the ceiling is a fake spiders web, the key is hidden within it, it's disguised as the spider.

"Nice work," I say as Shiloh hands me the key.

I take it back and unlock Ravens prison.

She coughs as I help her stand. She's really sick, she's burning up. This is terrible.

"So-glad-you found-me," She whispers in a cracked, dry voice. I gently lift her off the ground and carry her out.

"How long has it been since you've had water?" I ask worriedly. "They never-gave me-any," She begins coughing again.

"Robin-" She faints as we head down the corridor.

"Robin we cannot leave all these others here," Starfire reminds me. I nod and she goes back to unlock all their cages.

...

When we finally get up the million step staircase, I notice the old shop keeper is gone.

"I should've left one of you to watch him!" I say in frustration.

Nonetheless we take Raven back to the tower.

...

"Starfire! Come in Starfire!" I hear Cyborg's voice calling over her communicator. She must've left it here.

I lay Raven down on the couch and then search for the device.

"Yes, talk," I say to Cyborg.

"Robin?," He whispers. "Yes it's me, I'm fine talk," I tell him.

"Zelda and Max were caught by Droid, I don't know where BB and Kodiac are, and Merella and I can't stay hidden forever," He says.

"Fleo's one of the bad guys, we need backup now!" Fleo? A bad guy? Since when? Questions begin forming in my head.

"On our way," I run back to the living room.

"Cyborg needs our help," I say. "He needs all of us but I can't leave Raven here alone," I think a moment trying to figure this out.

"Um, I could stay with her Robin," Shiloh speaks up. "No, we need you, uh, let's see,"

Ravens eyes open. "Rob-Robin?" She moans and tries to sit up.

"I'm here, don't worry," I say. I'm quickly at her side supporting her back as she sits upright.

"Robin I'll be fine," She says independently. "No, last time people were left here alone it didn't go well, I can't take that chance again," I tell her sternly.

"I know someone who can take care of her, he kinda owes me a favor," Shiloh speaks up.

"Alright, he better get over here quick," I say and then sigh. Poor Raven, they must've treated her horribly. She looks awful. Her cape is torn, her skin dirty and paler than usual, and that cough, it's so dry and-she hasn't had water, I run to the kitchen and bring her back a cup filled with water.

She gulps it down hastily. Man, she is really thirsty.

"More?" She hands me the cup and looks to me with pleading eyes. I hurry with another cup full, and then another, and more until she's satisfied.

This man Shiloh spoke of soon arrives and we head out.

~o0o~

We've only got twenty five minutes of air left and it's extremely hot.

I can only hope Cyborg and Merella have gotten away and found the others. Heck, maybe they're working an escape plan right now.

Max lays in the corner of this small box. He's breathing heavily and sweat pours down his face.

I wish I could get us out, I've tried before and failed. If only-someone could rescue us. If only.

Twenty three minutes. The clock is ticking we need out.

It's so hot, I don't know how much longer-no! I have to survive, and help Max survive.

Survival, is-the-key.

~o0o~

Finally here. Now to find Cyborg. They said the hideaway is under ground. Guards swarm the area, we sneak over.

"Cyborg, come in," I whisper into my communicator. "Yeah?" He answers. "Where are you?" I ask urgently.

"When you get inside, you'll be facing a large room, to the left is a hall, almost at the end is a room where Droid and Fleo are, if you take five steps back from that there's a closet, we're in there," He says.

"Here we come," I say and we head down the hill.

We manage to evade any guards standing outside the base, once inside though, one if them aims to kill.

I quickly send a boomerang his way and knock the gun out of his hands. Jumping at him I knock him out cold.

We follow Cyborg's instructions to the latter. I peak around the corner and see Fleo.

Five steps back from that we find the closet.

I open it.

~o0o~

Fifteen minutes and counting. Fleo conveniently left a ticking clock in here for us to count down to our doom.

Wait a minute. Why didn't I think of it before?! I could go ghost! Yes! That could save our lives.

I force myself to sit up. I sit crisscross on the floor and close my eyes.

Taking a deep breath I cross over. I'm in ghost form now.

I fly through the wall and out the door. As I fly past a closet I hear someone inside. I peak my head through the wall and see Cyborg, Merella, Robin, Starfire, and Shiloh.

I come inside now. They can't see me, but they can hear me.

"Robin," I say. He doesn't move.

~o0o~

Inside the closet I see Cyborg and Merella. The closet is just barely big enough to fit us all.

We squeeze inside and shut the door.

"Robin? How you feelin?" Cyborg asks me. "Fine, I'm just fine, where are Zelda and Max being held?" I ask cutting strait to the point.

"Robin," Someone whispers in my ear. "What?" I ask looking at the wall. No ones there.

"Robin," Someone's talking. "Who said that?" I demand.

Everyone shrugs. This cannot be happening. Is my mind going crazy again? No, it can't!

"Robin it's Zelda, I can go into something called Ghost Form, you can't see me but you can hear me," My eyes dart around the room.

I'm just gonna have to trust that this is her and not my mind playing tricks.

"We're in the room with Fleo," She says. "In a black box with purple trim, it had no air holes, we've got about ten minutes of air left or we'll die!" She says urgently.

"Got it," I peak out the doorway. No ones there. I gesture for the team to follow me and we leave the closet hiding place. We creep down the hall silently.

I start to hear voices from the room. Standing right at the edge of the doorway I listen intently.

"We've got to get down to the Jade Quan and grab Raven, then bring her here, it's almost time," I hear Droid's voice speaking to-it must be Fleo.

"Right, I'll get on that," Fleo starts walking. My hearts racing. He'll see us if he comes around that corner!

His footsteps stop. What's he doing? I don't dare peak my head around to find out.

He picks something up. I hear the sound of buttons being pressed.

"Yeah, get Raven," He says. He must be on a phone or something.

"I don't care, just bring her here," I continue I listen to the one sided conversation.

"What? Is that-what?!" His voice begins to rise. "Impossible! No! I want everyone out there looking for him now! I don't care what it takes I want Raven found and brought here immediately!" He slams down the device.

He walks away and tells Droid that I've rescued Raven.

"He's probably at the tower, but since we've trashed the place before he might've taken her to a safer place," Fleo starts giving ideas.

"Yes, or he could be here," Droid has a certain snake-like hiss to his voice. It's really quite eerie.

They've stopped talking. I wonder what they could be doing, I've got to get in there and find Zelda and Max.

For all I know they could be out of air by now.

"Cyborg," I whisper and he hobbles over. "Think you can create a distraction?" He nods and then whispers something to Merella and she follows him.

Starfire, Shiloh and I tiptoe back to the closet and wait.

"Take that lousy guard!" I hear Cyborg yell and then blast his cannon at a wall.

I hear footsteps running through the hall and murmuring.

"Hey! Get over here!" The sound of Fleo's angry voice comes to my ears. But is Droid out there too? I can't just walk into his office if he's there.

"Get them! I'll go see about the statuettes!" I hear Droid yell. He's definitely out there.

As soon as I'm sure the coast is clear I open the door.

I rush into the office and look around. There's no box. Zelda must not be in Ghost Form anymore cause she's not speaking.

The girls and I look in closets, behind bookshelves, under desks, I even look for secret hiding spots but there's no black box with purple trim.

"Well, where are they then?" I'm frustrated. They could be dead, I have to find them.

As I walk past a place in the wall that juts out I bump it and it moves.

But it's a wall? It's supposed to stay. I grab it and push. It moves more. I pull it back from the wall.

Behind it sits the black box Zelda spoke of.

I look for an opening but there is none. It's solid all the way around!

~o0o~

It so hot. I couldn't be in Ghost Form anymore because if I'm separated from my body for a long time I'll die.

What does it matter? I'm going to die anyway.

"Robin, please find us." I mumble half to myself.

Max is still in the corner. He's panting heavily still and sweating like crazy. He's taken off his shirt and rolled up his pant legs.

My jacket lay on the floor. The box isn't that big but it's bigger than the normal sized boxes.

My vision is blurring. I turn to the clock. Six minutes.

This box is metal, so the walls and floor are heating up as well.

It's so unbearably hot, I don't know how I'm still alive.

"Zelda?" I hear Robin calling to us.

"Robin!" I call out. "Robin help!" I touch the wall but it burns my fingers.

I jerk my hand back and hold it tight. It really hurts.

I don't know what to do but Robin has to save us.

"Open it Robin! We're dying!" I yell truthfully. "I-I can't find the opening," I can hear him moving about tapping the box and stuff.

"Four minutes of air! Help please!" I beg. My heart is racing, he can't find the opening and we're going to die.

I can't die, I'm only fifteen, my life can't be over. And Max, he's only eleven, he's got years ahead of him.

This can't be the end.

"Robin look! Please! Help me!" I'm sounding desperate now. I am desperate. I need to get Max out if here. His sister, Merella, she'll be heartbroken if he doesn't make it.

"I can't find it Zelda!" Robin sounds panicked. "Perhaps we could break it?" Starfire suggests.

"Anything! Please!" My heart pounds in my ear. Three minutes.

Save us please. My mind is going a million miles, what's gonna happen to my team? It will have lost three members. What then?

"Robin, this is it," I say. The movement stops. "Zelda-" He sounds broken. Defeated.

"This is the end," I tell him as tears start to trail down my sweat covered cheeks. "This is goodbye," All is quiet for about five seconds.

"No! Do you see a door or anything that resembles an opening anywhere?!" Robin demands. I look around.

"Yes! At the bottom! You're going to have to flip the box upside down! Don't worry about hurting us, that's better than dying!" I say hurriedly.

Two minutes. Robin hurry. I feel the box begin to rotate. It flips on its side and Max falls on me.

I move Max next to me. I can hear Robin pounding the door.

One minute.

"One minute!" I yell at the top of my lungs. "I'm trying!" Robin yells.

He tugs and bangs and prods but it won't budge.

"Robin!" Starfire's panicked voice yells. My hearts still racing.

"Robin thirty seconds!" Shiloh screams. "I'm trying!" Robin sounds angry.

My breathing increases. My heart rate is off the chart.

"Fifteen seconds!" Shiloh yells.

"I-cant-open-this-darn thing!" Robin yells. Ten seconds.

"Robin!"

"I can't!"

"Robin!"

"It won't-!"

One, zero. The air is gone. I start to choke. Can't breath! The end.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry it's taken so long to upload, but our Internet quit working but it's fixed now:) so enjoy Happy Reading!**

** Chapter 8: When All Seems Lost. **

I grab the door and, ripping it off, fling it across the room.

Inside I see Zelda gasping for air.

"You alright?!" I ask in alarm. "Yes," She says and sucks in as much air as she can.

I reach for her hand to help her out but she turns around. She gently picks up Max who is not moving.

"Max?" She says slowly and full of fear. Oh no. He can't be-

"Max!" Zelda's voice is panicked. I reach into the crate and pull Max out and gently lay his body on the ground.

He's dead. We were too late.

"Max," Zelda speaks quietly now. She's climbed out of the box and is now sitting by Max's limp form.

She lifts him up and hugs the dead child. I just catch sight of a few tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I couldn't get you out soon enough," She whispers.

I take a deep breath, soaking in what just happened. Max is dead. It's my fault, I didn't get that stupid door open quickly enough, I didn't get in here fast enough, I wasn't smart enough to find the box.

I killed him. "This is all my fault," I mumble in anger. "Robin, it is not your fault, you didn't know-" Starfire tries to tell me. Her words just bounce off me like a balloon. It is my fault.

"I didn't get here soon enough," I whisper. Starfire's hand touches my shoulder. "Don't do this Robin," She says. "You cannot blame yourself for everything that happens, if there is anyone to blame it is Fleo for choosing this path, he put Max and Zelda in that box he killed Max and almost killed Zelda," Her eyes are penetrating my very soul. She cares a lot but I know it's still my fault.

"It should've been me," Zelda says angrily. "It should have been me!" She's yelling now.

"Why didn't I take better care of him?" She asks herself. "You did everything you could," Shiloh speaks up.

"No, I could've done more, I could've shoved him out of the way, let him go with his sister but no, I had to just stand by as that crate fell on us," Zelda argues.

"This is not your fault Robin, it's mine," She says breathing hard in anger.

I should say something. But what? As I'm thinking Cyborg walks in.

Seeing Max he turns around immediately and starts pushing Merella out of the room.

"What?" I hear her ask. "Why can't-" I look at her. She's looking over Cyborg's shoulder and she sees Max.

"No!" She screams and starts crying. "Max! No!" Cyborg is holding her back but she's fighting hard.

Her eyes turn red and she burns Cyborg's shoulder and he moves.

She runs in and takes her little brother. "Maxie!" She cries. "No! He's dead! What happened?" She screams in agony.

"Fleo locked them in an air tight box," Shiloh says sorrowfully. I watch as she holds him close and rocks back and forth slowly, crying her eyes out.

I need to do something, but I'm wiped out. I'm feeling tired and-my eyes are heavy.

Shiloh steps down and puts her arms around Merella and the still form of Max.

Zelda also wraps them in her arms and they all sit together in a sort of group hug.

I feel dizzy. What's going on? The room is spinning! It's going white. A bright light is shining in my face and then it's all black.

~o0o~

"Robin!" He suddenly falls over. I take his head in my hands. He's unconscious.

"Robin?" I shake him gently. He can't go back to being insane. He can't.

Suddenly and out of no where Droid comes into the room. He smiles creepily and stares at us.

"Well well," He says stealthily. "You've all been captured," He steps aside and guards come in carrying Beastboy and Kodiac.

They're thrown on the floor and the guards point guns at us.

"You killed Max!" Merella jumps up and lasers at him and then flies over and shoots some hidden knives at him.

He of course dodges all of them somehow. A guard steps forward and hits her. She falls and the guard stabs something into her neck to make her pass out.

Then some guards step aside and more enter the room with different weapons. They shoot Zelda, Cyborg, and Shiloh with some sort of sleep potion. But they don't shoot me.

Some guards come closer holding their guns to my head ready to shoot if I move.

Droid walks closer and smiles at me.

"Alright, you're coming with me," He says grinning. Robin's head lay in my lap still unconscious.

"Leave him," Droid orders the guards.

One of the guards puts hand cuffs on me that block any of my starbolts I might shoot.

"Try anything, and your friends die," Droid says threateningly. I sigh and am escorted down the hall by guards.

"I want you to tell me where my desert flower has run off to," I have no idea what he means by, 'desert flower'

"I was not aware flowers could run," I say back sarcastically but with a serious tone.

He slaps me across the face. I pretend it didn't hurt, although I know my face must be red and it stings.

"Imbecile!" He yells in rage. "I'm talking about that little Raven!" He says frustratingly.

I grit my teeth. I mustn't tell him anything.

"Ah, that's how it is my fiery rose," I think he has a thing for calling women flowers.

"So be it, I'll make you crack," I turn my head away indicating that I refuse to talk.

He steps closer and, placing his fingers under my chin, makes me look at him face to face.

"Shall we begin?" He whispers. His hot breath against my cold flesh sends a shiver up my spine.

I'm in for the torment of my life, but I cannot reveal the location of my friend.

A guard suddenly rushes in. "The boy has awakened," He says and I know he is speaking of Robin.

"Take him to the prison cell with the rest of the lot," Droid says. "Already done sir," The guard replies. I exhale softly. He is not intending to hurt Robin. Yet.

"Let's go my dear, shall we?" He steps forward and takes me by the arm. We walk into another room with scary looking machinery.

"This is the torture chamber," He says with an evil grin. "Now, you can tell me where Raven is, or I can torture you until you do," He starts pressing buttons and a machine starts to turn on.

"Which is it?" He gives me a choice. I must not tell him where Raven is.

"I take your silence as the second option," He takes me by the arm and drags me to his machine. My heart is racing. What will he do to me?

He takes the small cuffs off and places my hands stretched outward in these big metal hand cuffs, he also locks my feet in place.

My heart beats faster as he puts on goggles and grasps a lever. He pulls it down and electricity is shot through me. I scream as it hurts more than anything I've ever felt before.

"And that's only level one!" I barely catch Droid yell above the noise. The shocking stops and I'm left hanging there panting.

"Now, are you ready my dear?" His snake-like voice inquires.

"Never," I say between my gritted teeth. He shrugs. "Suit yourself," He pulls the lever again and this time takes it up a notch.

My entire being stings and zaps. He's crazy. I scream in agony every time he pulls that lever. He asks over and over if I'm ready to tell but each time I say no and he takes it to the next level.

...

He's finally left the room. I heard him say something about finishing up some loose ends before he absolutely needs Raven.

I'm shaking in fear. This is quite possibly the scariest thing I've endured. Scarier than fighting Trigon at almost the end of the world? I think-maybe-it almost could be.

I wonder where Robin is being held. I wish he'd come rescue me.

~o0o~

As I slowly come to, I realize I've been captured. I sit up. Merella is sitting in a corner her face buried in her hands and crying.

Zelda looks like a statue, still, unmoving. Then I see Beadtboy and Kodiac lying on the floor. They still haven't woke up yet. Cyborg sits in a corner smelting patterns into the floor with his finger torch.

"Where's Starfire?" I ask immediately noting her absence.

"I-don't know," Zelda mumbles as she stares at the wall. "Was anyone awake when we were brought here?" I ask feeling a little frustrated.

"No," Zelda says. I stand and walk to the front wall. There are no doors, so, how did we get in here? There's a single window up kinda high. But the window is too small to fit any of us through it. This is a mystery.

"Where's RaeRae?" I hear a little girls voice say softly from the back corner. Zelda looks up, it seems she recognizes the voice. I do too. A little.

"Where did he take RaeRae?" The voice repeats. I step closer. She's in the darkest corner of the room. "Come into the light," I say gently so as not to scare her.

"I can't," She says apologetically. "Why not?" I press. "Because, look," I barely see the shape of her hand hold up a chain. Then I see it's clamped on her ankle and stuck in the wall.

"Who are you?" I ask trying to get a closer look. I bump something. There's an invisible wall separating us from the girl. She laughs. "Silly, it's me, Zenica,"

Zenica! She's finally found. "Zenica, you alright?" I ask urgently. "Yes, but where's RaeRae?" She asks once again. "She promised everything would be alright, she said she'd help me find Rhen," Zenica sounds a little frightened.

"And who's RaeRae?" I ask. "RaeRae, she's just RaeRae, she said she know you," Zenica says shakily. I nod. Maybe RaeRae is Raven.

"Does she have purple hair, and pale skin, and a blue cape?" I ask just in case. "Yes!" Zenica sighs suddenly and sits down.

"You alright?" I ask worriedly. She seems discouraged. "Yes, but RaeRae promised we would be ok, and now she is gone, she said she would be back but she is gone," Zenica lies down on the floor sleepily.

"You will be ok, Rav-uh-RaeRae, is safe, and you will be too," I tell her. "Ok," She whispers and closes her eyes.

I have to make sure she stays safe. No matter what. Poor little girl, she's been here for a long time I know.

And seeing as it was partially my fault she's here I can't help but feel responsible for her.

Even as I stand on my toes the small window is still too high for me to look out of.

I sigh. I feel like giving up but I can't. I have to keep fighting till we win this thing. I have to fight, for Star, for my team, for Zenica, for Max.

Just then Beastboy wakes up, soon followed by Kodiac.

There's a disturbance in the other room. A table is knocked over. Someone must be there but I don't hear anything.

Suddenly the wall begins to shake. The reason for there not being any doors is because the wall is the door! It slowly lifts from the ground, the entire front wall.

As it lifts I get a glimpse of a black cape disappear around the corner.

Huh, I begin to wonder who let us out. But there's no time for that, I need to get that invisible wall down and get Zenica unchained and out. Then find Starfire and destroy Droid's machine, it won't be easy, but we'll have to try.

I find a button on a desk that's labeled INVSBL WL I press it and that shield around Zenica slides into a crack in the floor. I grab a ring of keys from the wall and head over.

I rattle around with them trying to find the one that fits into the key hole. Just when it seems like none of them belong to this chain I find the one and unlock her chains. She jumps up gratefully and hugs me tight around my neck.

"Now can we see RaeRae?" She asks excitedly. "Not yet, but soon," I tell her. "Here, climb on my back and I'll take you somewhere safe," I bend down and she wraps her arms around my neck and I take her away.

There really isn't a safe place anywhere in this hideout. But I still look.

As we carefully walk down hallways and through rooms I can't find a single place that would be safe to leave Zenica.

"Is it ok Robin?" The five year old asks sounding a little afraid.

"Yes, I just-hang on," I walk closer to the wall and pick up a piece of paper taped in place. Opening it with one hand, as the other is holding up Zenica, I read the note.

It just says 'battlefront' I begin to wonder who left it there and what it means.

"Battlefront, battlefront, battle-front, front! Front of the hideout?" I whisper aloud trying to figure this out.

I turn the paper over and there's a map of the hideout, the front of it is circled in red.

"Aha!" I quietly but quickly head to the front of this base. It's a long way but we get there without running into any guards.

I look around. What exactly am I looking for? There's another note taped to the wall strait ahead.

I walk over and pick it off. It's blank. I turn it over and over but there's no writing. This is certainly puzzling.

As I turn around to consult the others I see faintly something on the card as light shines behind it.

I get an idea. I hold the piece of paper up to the light. Barely visible is an arrow pointing upward and the number 1803 inscribed.

"So," I whisper to the others who watch silently. "If this was taped here, then the arrow points up there," looking strait up I see a hole in the ceiling and what looks like a separate room.

I think I can get up there. "Zelda, take Zenica, when I get up there hand her to me got it?" Zelda nods and steps up taking the little girl off my back and holding her tight.

I reach up and grab the edges of the circular hole and pull myself up. I take a quick look around before bringing up Zenica. The room is made of mainly steel and iron, there's a giant bowl to one side kind of in the middle that's steaming. The roof is low, only big enough to crawl through, and there are lots of pipes and things. It's also very dark, only a few lights lining the wall give off a faint glow.

I reach my arms down as Zelda lifts Zenica up. I grab hold under her arms and hoist her up next to me. Then I help the others get in.

"The numbers, 1803, what do you think they meant?" Zelda asks once we're all up here.

"I don't know, but-" Beastboy suddenly points at something and says, "Hey, you think they could be those doors?" I look at what he points to. Along one wall are circular doors with numbers painted in white on them. The ones we can see have 1809, 1808, and 1807.

"Yeah, good eye Beastboy," I say and head towards them. Zenica follows close by my side as we all are crawling on our hands and knees.

I look at each door for the number 1803, we pass 1806, 1805, 1804, and here it is. 1803.

There's a big wheel on the door that resembles a steering wheel of a car. I grab hold of the rusty thing and turn it. At first it won't budge, but then Beastboy helps and it moves slightly.

"Come-on-" I mumble as I tug hard. Kodiac also comes and we all pull and shove and finally it twists with ease.

The door slowly creaks open and the sun shines at us brightly. It's sunset but after being underground with artificial light all this time any sunlight hurts my eyes.

I hold my hand up blocking the light and that's when I see it. The T-ship! What's it doing here? how- Raven.

But how? I pick up Zenica and run to the ship. There's a note taped to it. I grab it and read.

Robin,

Be safe.

That's it. Just those words. Nothing else. I open the door and put Zenica inside.

"Beastboy, I want you and Cyborg to take Zenica home, the rest of you, we need to find Starfire." I say with determination.

Cyborg and Beastboy get into the ship without a word. As the rest of us walk back they take off.

If Raven brought that ship, and wasn't inside, where is she?


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Silhouette.

We make our way back through the circle door and back down through the room and down some halls.

We retrace our steps from when I passed out in the room where Max died. Back in the hall I lead everyone through the long corridor.

As we come to another room filled with computers I hear voices and quickly step back. I listen carefully trying to hear what they're saying.

One of them is Droid, the other is-the Jade Quan shop owner!

"But it was not my fault!" The old man says. "I try to say no, go away but the boy go in anyway!" He must be explaining how Raven got away.

"I don't care for explanations I want results! I need my flower!" Droid yells. Flower? He needs a flower? What for?

"Let's go see if our rose is ready to open up shall we?" For some reason I feel like we should follow him. Even if he's just going to see a rose we should follow.

I signal for the others to do as I say and they nod. We creep back a few steps so as not to be seen by the men as they leave.

Droid walks out and through the large room to a door. I try to see what's inside as he opens the door. I just catch a quick glimpse of lots of big machinery then the door closes.

I ask Merella and Kodiac to stay and keep an eye out in case the shop owner leaves and to follow him carefully. The rest of us go to the room Droid entered and we peek through the door.

There, Starfire hangs from her limbs on a big machine. Her head hangs low and she looks beaten. I gasp. What has he done to her?

I silently open the door just wide enough to squeeze through and I step inside hiding behind his machines.

"Now are you ready my fiery rose?" I hear Droid ask. Starfire's the rose? I question Droid's sanity.

Starfire lifts her head slowly and glares at him. "I will never tell you where Raven is," She says angrily.

This is terrible, he's torturing her in order to find out where Raven is.

"Hey, Droid," Fleo walks into the room. Oh, that's right, they told me he's a bad guy. "What?" Droid demands. "Can't you see I'm busy?" Fleo grins. "Yes, that's why I came, I could give her a dose of the stuff I gave Robin, you know, make her insane, then maybe she'll spill her guts," The stuff he gave Robin? This means-that's why I went crazy, he did something to me. My anger is growing steadily. This guy is a maniac, does he even know what he did to me? I can't remember certain things, and some things I do remember don't make sense or I'm not sure if they really happened. I may be able to think clearly now but I can't tell dream from reality that well.

My breathing increases as I look at him. So evil and-just-gosh I hate him.

"Hmm," Droid gets a look in his eye-he's gonna do it. I can't let him. I can't watch Starfire suffer the way I suffered. I have to think of something fast.

"Yes, that sounds like a plan," Starfire looks panicked. I want to take that away from her. I need to take that away from her.

"Let's do it, go get your stuff!" Droid announces and Fleo walks away.

As much as I want to just run up there and free Starfire from her chains I know I have to wait for an opening.

Her head gently and slowly lifts. "Help-" She manages to rasp out. Droid laughs in evil mock and I see Starfire shiver with fear. "There is no help princess," He says with a smile. He's so disgusting. I just wanna- something on the other side of the room falls to the ground.

"Who's there?" Droid demands instantly. I hear the sound of someone scurrying across the floor. Droid glares at Star and she flinches. He growls and walks to the sound.

As he's looking around I hear something directly above me. A shadow looms over head, someone's crouching on the fixtures in the roof.

I squint trying to see who it is. It moves and I see a pare of eyes staring at me, they're white, whoever it is must have a mask on. One much similar to mine.

The eyes look away and Droid comes back. "This better not be a trick Rosie," He says angrily. "Maybe it is a rat, or a mouse," Starfire mumbles.

Droid takes a deep angry breath and throws on some goggles. "No!" Starfire screeches and she tries to wriggle out of her prison hold.

She's really scared, I want to get her out of-Droid pulls a lever and Starfire is consumed in electric shock. I stare as the light flashes and she screams in agony.

I get a birderang ready to throw at his machine. Just as I am about to let it fly however, an M shaped boomerang slices into Droid's machine just below his hand. The electricity stops and Star is unconscious.

"What the devil?!" Droid grabs the boomerang and looks at it carefully. I look up, the mysterious figure is gone.

"Ahh!" Droid throws the boomerang and it explodes into the far right wall.

He just looks at the hole. Then he turns to Starfire who is still knocked out. He looks around the room suspiciously. Another M boomerang flies at another machine. Droid's hands go to his head immediately in shock. "I needed that!" He yells. "Whoever is doing this stop now!" He screams angrily.

I'm a little curious myself as to who is doing this. It couldn't be Raven, the person in the fixtures probably, but who is it?

"Come out," Droid calls crazily. I look around trying to find the person, there he is, he's sitting by a vent in the upper left hand side of the roof.

I see him move. About three of his boomerangs shoot at three different machines that zap a little then explode from the inside out.

Droid runs to his machines. "Ahhh stooppp!" He yells in rage. I watch carefully. The shadow moves to another place in the roof. Two boomerangs are sent at Droid himself, they open up revealing a net and he's pinned to the ground.

"Hey!" Droid struggles but can't get loose. The shadow isn't moving, he just looks at me. Then he looks to Starfire and I know I have an opening.

I lunge forward and run to her. Pressing buttons on the nearby computer I unlock her cuffs, she falls but I catch her before she hits anything.

"It was you!" Droid yells at me. Zelda comes out from our hiding spot and stands next to him making sure he doesn't get up.

I gently move Starfire's hair out of her face and she stirs. "Rob-in," She mumbles as her eyes slowly open. I smile reassuring.

"Yes, I've got you," I say and lift her up. "This way!" I whisper and the girls follow me out a back door.

As we run down yet another hallway I can hear Droid yelling for someone to help him.

We run strait down a white hall and around a corner. But it's a dead end!

I stare at the wall a moment. I can hear people in the room with Droid, there's no way out!

I flinch as I hear something moving in the vent on the wall to our left. Shiloh is ready for anything that comes out. The vent is kicked out and the black shadow of a boy extends a hand to help us in.

"Trust me," He says. I can hear them coming down the hall, we have no choice. I nod at Zelda and she takes the strangers hand.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Secret Weapon.

We all get into the vent and close it up. This mystery guy leads us down a series of twists and turns that seem to go on forever. Starfire is well enough to crawl on her own but I stick close behind her just in case.

We get to a vent that opens up to the outside. We all step out and that's when I get a good look at this guy. He wears a black mask just like mine, he has a black cape with ragged edges at the bottom, much like the one I made for Red X, he has black pants and black boots. He also has a tan utility belt much like the design of my own. He has a grey shirt with an M on the top left, next to his sleeve.

His hair is lighter than mine but its spiked like mine is.

"Everyone alright? Everyone here?" This guy asks. "Yeah, who are you?" I counter with suspicion.

He turns around, his back facing me. "We should get going if we're gonna stop this mad man," He says and takes a few steps. I won't be put off that easily, I step forward and grab his shoulder. "You didn't answer my question," I say.

He turns to face me only halfway. "Just call me Matrix," He answers. I let go of his shoulder and he walks ahead.

We follow.

...

It wasn't until we'd turned a corner and his cape flashed by that I realized he was the one who let us out of that cage that had the wall as a door.

I should thank him for that later. We walk, I don't know where, but we just walk.

He leads us into the forest and that's when I'm really starting to get curious as to where we're going. But nobody's asking any questions. I'm just about to ask when we emerge from the woods and find a small, black jet.

It must be his, "Wait a minu-you were the one who brought our ship here! How'd you know?" I say suddenly realizing the truth.

"Yes I did," He answers humbly. "I've known about Droid's plans to destroy the world for months, but I'm used to working alone so I needed the right kind of help, I contacted Spargus, the man in charge of the division Fire Fury is part of, and asked for his best team, he sent Fire Fury without telling them about me, so I waited for an opening, but you guys got into more trouble than I'd originally thought you would, so I had to rescue you guys a couple times, when I found that little girl I knew I had to get her as far away as I could, so I went to your tower and talked to John and Raven and got your ship and brought it here, I couldn't rely on the chance that you guys would find it on your own so I left notes, but I couldn't let the wrong person find them so I put one in code," he explains.

Matrix hops in his jet and waves us to join him. Zelda's the first to take his hand and climb aboard. I'm skeptical of this new comer, his story is a bit fantastic.

But what other options are there? I follow the others aboard and we take off.

~o0o~

The jet is small, but it fits us all comfortably. Since I was the first to get in I'm the closest to the driver, Matrix.

He had us all put on headphone communicators so we could talk.

"Alright, here's the plan," Matrix says once we're in air.

"We're gonna need to find Merella and Kodiac, they were gonna follow Jin right?" For the first time I remember my two team members we'd left to follow that old Chinese man.

"Yes," Robin and I answer simultaneously. Matrix seems like he'd make a good leader or teammate, but he's so hostile, he doesn't smile at all. He seems almost, emotionless.

"Alright, I'll send Robin and Zelda to find them, that alright?" He asks. "That's fine," I say and Robin agrees.

"I know you two are used to being the leaders but I've got a plan if you'll let me lead," He seems like a real gentlemen too.

"That's fine with me," Robin says. "Me too," I say quickly.

We make a sharp left turn as we fly around. "Alright, Starfire you can stay on ship, you took a really hard beating," He says. Maybe he's not emotionless after all, he had a note of sympathy to his voice.

"What?" Uh oh, I can tell Starfire's not too happy about that. "I am perfectly fine, my people are very resilient," She tries to argue. Matrix doesn't respond.

I wait for him to say something but he doesn't. Then I realize he's waiting for Robin to talk her into staying, but why?

"He's right Star," Robin finally speaks up. "I don't want you to get hurt ok, please stay," He says.

I stop listening to their discussion as my own thoughts take over. Why did he wait for Robin to speak up? Why didn't he just tell her she had to stay no other choice?

Maybe because he's used to working alone and didn't know how to handle it. But that seems doubtful.

Maybe it was because Robin is her leader and she'd listen to him. Whatever the reason he knew what he was doing, Starfire finally consented to Robin's pleas and said she'd stay.

...

"Everyone ready and know what to do?" Matrix confirms as we prepare to land. We'd stopped by the tower and picked up Cyborg, Beastboy said something about staying with Raven and John so we left him.

We landed safely in a field and everyone got out.

Before we headed to the hideout, Matrix pulled me aside from the others and whispered, "Zelda you may need to go in Ghost Form to reck his machine," I listen carefully.

It was part of the plan that I'd destroy Droid's doomsday device.

"Ok, sure," I say with a slight smile. I was trying to get a reaction from him but his face remains the same.

"Do they know about you?" He asks. I gasp. How would he know about me? Unless he's talking about something else and I'm just flying off the handle.

I look into his masked eyes. He stays serious. My hearts racing, does he know everything? If so how'd he find out? I finally decide to ask.

"How do you know?"

~o0o~

As we wait for Matrix to lead us out I notice him take Zelda aside to speak with her. I wonder what they could be talking about. But I dare not eavesdrop on my own leader.

But still, she's talking with someone we met only hours ago, he could be considered dangerous.

But I remain in my spot by the wing of plane just the same.

"Shiloh have you gotten any word from Merella or Kodiac yet?" Robin asks sounding curious. "No," I answer and go back to staring at Zelda and Matrix. Robin walks off and starts asking the others the same question.

I watch Matrix closely. If I see anything suspicious I'll kill him. I'm far enough not to hear them, but close enough to see Zelda's face go white as she stares at him.

I get into a position so I can grab an arrow, load it, and shoot in a moments notice, but I won't look suspicious to the others.

The Matrix back is to me so I can't see if he's talking, but Zelda's quiet for a long time. Then her mouth moves and I know she's speaking.

I silently move closer. Robin is busy talking to Cyborg and Starfire so none of them take notice of my absence.

I hide beside a tree and listen. I have to know what they're saying.

"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable," I hear The Matrix say.

Uncomfortable how? I wonder if he might not be trying to take advantage of my leader. If so he has no idea what he's in for, Zelda can take pretty good care of herself.

"It's ok, there's just not many people who know about that part of me," Zelda says with a shy smile.

I'm shocked. What on earth are they talking about? It sounds bad to me but they could be talking about something completely different than my ideas.

Matrix places a steady hand on Zelda's shoulder. "I know, but don't be afraid, I'll be right with you the whole time," He says gently, but fearlessly.

"Somehow I'm glad you know," Zelda says with a smile on her face. "Me too," Matrix answers and takes her hand in his own.

I'm disgusted. He's so not right for her, but what can I do? Jump out and let them know I was listening? No way.

"Please don't tell the others," I hear Zelda say before The Matrix walks off. "I wasn't planing on it," He replies and she smiles and they walk back.

I quickly make my way back to the group and we head down to Droid's base to commence our plans.

~o0o~

I know my part, I'm to first find Merella and Kodiac with the help of Zelda, then I'm to help The Matrix get to Droid and take him down.

I hope Starfire will be ok all alone, I really do worry about her.

It's stupid I know, but she's special to me. She's the only one of the team that makes me smile just by hearing the sound of her voice.

The others are great and all, but she's different. She's, as I said before, special.

No one can replace her. Which is why I'm extremely grateful The Matrix was there to help rescue her before Fleo gave her the stuff that makes you go crazy.

...

We finally locate Merella and Kodiac by tracking the communicator I gave Merella back at the tower.

"We followed that man, turns out his name is Jin," Kodiac tells us as we crouch in a small corner, hiding from guards. "He went to a room on the far left of this base and has been there ever since," He says.

"Good work guys, we've got a plan to destroy Droid's machine but we need to meet Matrix in the torture chamber, it's the only place where no guards are put," Zelda says and they both nod.

We all hurry back to meet up with Matrix.

...

In the torture chamber, everyone is waiting. We arrive and then quickly give the plan a once over to make sure everybody's got it strait.

The others go their way and Zelda and I silently follow Matrix down the dark hall.

We find Droid frantically packing a suitcase in a bedroom. The Matrix takes out an M shaped boomerang and throws it at the drawer Droid has just opened.

He gasps and turns to face us. You can literally see his heart beating fast and hard in his chest.

We walk inside. "Where's your doomsday device," Matrix demands holding up his boomerang. He presses a button and I see its a taser.

"I'm gonna ask you again, where is the device?" Matrix asks holding the boomerang higher.

Droid starts laughing hysterically. "It's already up and running," He says.

"How is that possible? You don't have Raven," I remind him as I am a bit confused.

"Ha!" He says crazily. "I don't need her anymore, Fleo figured a way to perfect the weapon in that old legend, and now I don't need her dark energy," He explains.

"It should be going off in, oh, ten minutes," Droid says looking at his watch.

Ten minutes. We've got to hurry. Suddenly the boomerang flies past my ear and zaps Droid unconscious.

"What'd you do that for? Now he can't tell us where his machine is!" I yell at Matrix. He has a strange way of doing things. They're either really smart or really stupid.

"I already know where it is," The Matrix whispers calmly. "So, what you can read minds now?!" I demand a little harsher than I should've I suppose.

"No, but you heard him say Fleo didn't you?" I think a moment. He did but what does that have to do with anything? "Yeah," I answer impatiently.

"And didn't you see Fleo in that room we passed on the way here?" The Matrix is definitely weird. He answers questions with questions.

"I don't know I didn't see," I tell him honestly. "Well I did," He says. "The machine is where he is," I nod although I'm not sure that makes sense.

The Matrix ties up Droid and I get to take him back to the jet and then to jail.

~o0o~

I take a deep breath. You can do this Zelda, I tell myself. I follow Matrix to the doomsday device.

Inside stands Fleo, my former teammate. I hate him for betraying us. How could he? After everything we'd been through? But I guess that doesn't matter to him now does it.

"You ready?" Matrix whispers once we're inside the room. This place has way too many rooms for my taste.

"Yes," I answer with another deep breath.

Matrix sends three boomerangs to knock out the three men helping Fleo. Then he throws something at Fleo and he's instantly tied up and falls to the ground.

"Ha! You're too late!" Fleo yells once we reach him. He lies next to a giant machine that could only be the doomsday thingy.

"It's already fired up, no way of stopping it now!" Fleo's crazed voice echoes throughout the chamber.

"That's what you think," Matrix retorts and signals for me to go ahead.

I fly up to about the middle of the machine. It starts to come alive. Wiring sounds begin emitting from its central core. I know I have to do this quickly.

From the corner of my eye I see Robin and the others rush into the room. I can't-if they see me they'll all be scared, just like the others.

They'll run from me, be scared of me, hate me. I'll be kicked out of this planet just like I was my home planet.

"Now Zelda!" I hear Matrix calling from below. I can't-

"Now! Or we'll all die!" He yells. I have to. Saving this world means more to me than being accepted by it.

I need to do this.

I focus my energy on the center of the device. Everyone's watching. I know they must be freaked out because by now my eyes have turned to a glowing neon-ish blue.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" As I say the words dark energy pours from my hands, my eyes, my soul.

The machine splits in two. I fly in and send a wall of blue flames at the central core melting it.

The shape if a black dove shadows behind me, cursing me with its presence.

They all must be running in fear of my power. The whole room is stained black as my dark energy covers the base.

There's an explosion of power that emanates from my being. Then all is gone. The dark energy I released has all come back to me. The device is destroyed, but so is my chance of ever living here on this place called earth.

**hmm. Mysterious isn't it? Why did Zelda say the words Raven uses to unleash her power? next chapter will explain...**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hmm. I think I might abandon this story, it's not really good, at all. Idk I'd like to know what my readers think, if some of you want me to finish it I will but if not ill abandon it. **

** Chapter 11: The Ties That Bind. **

Now I've done it. I look back just in case there's the slightest glimmer of hope that they're not scared of me.

But alas it is as my father had said so long ago. I am cursed. There is no where I belong, no place to call my home.

I must travel the universe alone, wandering from planet to planet only staying long enough to be cast out, unwanted, unloved.

And here I thought earth was different. I thought people were different. I thought I could keep this from them but no, I couldn't. And now I will be hated and thrown out. Cursed again by the rulers of this world, just as I was by the rulers of my own world. The place I was raised.

No one wants me around.

I can't stop the tears that have gathered in my eyes. All the ones I had considered my friends are lost.

And so I fly out. Not waiting for anyone to tell me to leave, I just fly away. As far away from everyone I care for as I can.

I always end up hurting the ones I care the most about. Merella lost her brother and now had to witness a terrible power unleashed by me, her leader, someone she trusted.

I can't believe what I've done. What I've made them watch.

Matrix, he said I shouldn't be afraid. He said he'd be there the whole time, he said he was glad he knew about me. About my past.

But does he really know? Could he really know? Could he know I was disowned by my mother and cursed by my father? Does he know where my home planet is? Does he know where I was born?

I want so badly to ask him if he does but I can't go back now. I just can't.

I find a lonely little roof and sit. I cry, I let it all out. I've been strong too long, I can't do this anymore. Everyone sees me as the tough leader, the brave leader, the strong girl that nothing can hurt.

But that's not who I am inside. I'm fragile, breakable.

I haven't cried in ages. But now I just let it all out.

"Why would you do this to me?!" I yell, to anyone watching it would be to the night sky, but to me I'm yelling at my father. He's the one who gave me this power, he's the one who cursed me to wander with no place to belong.

In my eyes he's the worst father in the entire universe. He doesn't care about me, and he didn't care about my mother. He abandoned us when we needed him most. My younger sisters had to grow up without a father, I had to spend half my life without one.

No one should have to go through that. It's the worst possible thing you could do to a child my age.

I sob with my knees pulled to my chest and my arms crossed over them. I bury my face hiding from anyone who might be watching.

~o0o~

As I watched her amazing power I couldn't help but be intimidated.

But it must've seemed to her like I was deathly afraid, she just flew out and I could see the tears in her eyes. I don't know why she didn't tell us about her power before. We would've still loved her, after all she is our leader. Nothing could make us ever hate or disown her. We're like a family, we don't have secrets from each other.

"Ella, did you know she could do that?" I hear the voice of Kodiac enter my thoughts. I look to his face. He looks confused.

"No, did you?" I ask although I know the answer. "Nope," He says.

I nod thinking this over. I don't know where she'd go. We don't know this town well, so she could've gone anywhere.

I can only hope she'll come back.

"Now that the worlds safe, I guess we just take the rest of these guys to jail and get on home," Cyborg says.

"But what about Zelda?" I ask worriedly. She's my leader and friend, I can't just leave her.

"I'll go find her," I hear a voice. Some guy in black starts walking the direction Zelda left. "Wait a minute, what makes you think you know where she is?" I ask curiously.

I think Cyborg said this guys name is Matrix, or something. "I said, I'll find her," He mumbles and clenches his fists.

I watch as he walks away. He's very peculiar, I wonder if he might not be able to find her.

"Robin?" I turn to him since my own leader is gone. "Will we wait for them to return or go and meet them at the tower?" I ask unsure of myself.

"We should probably work on getting all the bad guys to jail, then I suppose we'll meet The Matrix and Zelda back at the tower," He answers and then walks to Fleo who is tied up on the floor.

I'm not sure of myself anymore. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing or not, I can't decide anything for myself anymore.

It's hard, I just lost my little brother, he was all that was left of my family, our team is falling apart and so am I.

Everything's spiraling out of my control, I can't fix everything. I try but I can't. It's just too hard.

Maybe I should've gone with The Matrix to find Zelda. Maybe I should've grabbed Max before that box was lowered onto him and Zelda.

I know I can't change the past, but I wish so badly that I could. I need someone to cry to, someone to help me find myself, to help me move on.

Someone. Kodiac walks over to me. He puts an arm around my shoulder and squeezes tight, trying to assure me that everything will be fine. But will it really?

"It's ok, he'll find her," He says. I'm so confused, I feel angry but I don't know why. "Ella, are you ok?" He asks. I know he's trying to help, but I just don't feel anything.

"Yeah-no, I don't know, I will be I guess," I answer sounding just as confused as I feel.

Kodiac gives my shoulder one last gentle squeeze before following Robin's orders and tying up any of the crew that's left.

~o0o~

In my mind I've got about a million questions, but on the outside I try to keep my cool, I tell everyone we need to get these guys to jail then we'll meet Matrix at the tower and hopefully he'll have found Zelda.

I have questions for Zelda, questions like, why did she use the words I hear so frequently from Raven? And how did she get the dark energy powers Raven posses? This is all so strange, but I guess to get the answers I want I'm gonna have to be patient. Real patient.

...

We've finally gotten everyone to prison without any trouble, and now we're headed to the tower. We picked up Starfire on the way.

The Matrix still hasn't tried to contact any of us. Neither has Zelda. I guess we'll just have to wait.

Hours drag by. Still no word from either of them. It's getting late, I just might go looking for them, but something tells me not to.

~o0o~

"Zelda,"

I jolt awake. I didn't realize I'd fallen asleep on this small roof, someone called my name. It's Matrix, he's crouching there in front of me.

I just stare for a moment, wanting to ask but not wanting to face the answer. But it would be torture not to know.

"They want me to leave?" I manage to whisper. My lower lip quivers and I shake as the cold wind blows my long hair back.

"No, Zelda, no one wants you to leave," The shadowy figure in front of me says. That can't be. Everywhere I've gone before everyone's rejected me, not one single person has ever wanted me to stay. Not one.

"That's ok, I'll pack and leave, I'm sorry to frighten everyone," They weren't supposed to come in while I worked to destroy the machine. They weren't supposed to see, but since they did I now know that I must leave.

"No, Zelda, you're staying, I won't let you leave," The sound in his voice, the tone he used, it had such force. He definitely wants me to stay, but why? Why could he possibly want me to stay?

"Why? Aren't they all afraid? Don't they all hate me?" I ask, shock heard clearly in my tone.

"No," Matrix says a smile playing in his voice as it carries across the breeze. He's never smiled once since I've seen him, this is the first. "The-they're not?" I quiver out in surprise.

"No, we all want you to stay, we all are worried about you," He says. I know he's still smiling even if I can't see his face, it's in his voice.

"Worried?" I say not really paying attention to what comes out of my mouth. "Well, you kinda left in a hurry," He explains. I nod with a slight laugh and wipe a stray tear from my cheek. "I guess,"

"So, you'll come back with me?" Matrix asks with hope. "Yes, I will," I say and smile brightly through the tears. He extends his hand and I grasp it. We sit a moment, cherishing this time. He has a way with words I've never seen before, it's like he always knows exactly what to say at the exact moment.

It's almost perfect. "Let's go Princess," He says and gets out his grappling hook. I morph to my small bird form and follow him back to the tower.

If I am accepted as he claims I will be, then my fathers curse will be broken, I'll be free to choose to stay here or move on. Free to call someplace my home. That, would be perfect.


	12. Chapter 12

**Yeap. I've decided I'll finish this story after all, it's almost done anyways, I'd like to give a shout out to SHESCRAZY787, thanks for the awesome review I'm glad you like my writing and those were some great questions that's should be answered. I hope everyone likes this chapter, there will be at least one more maybe two, but enjoy Happy Reading! **

** Chapter 12: In the End. **

"Robin, should we maybe try to contact them?" Starfire asks for what seems like the millionth time. "No Star, I told you, Zelda left her communicator on the T-ship," I tell her. "We just have to wait," I add. Star sighs and nods, slowly walking toward the couch where she slumps down heavily.

As patient as I may have seemed to her I'm running on a slim rope here. I tap my fingers on the counter anxiously. But it also must've seemed annoying to Raven, she wrapped some dark energy around my hand and lifted it from the counter. I smile at her awkwardly, "Sorry," I say and she smiles too. I'm glad to see she's feeling better since being captured and tortured by Droid. "It's ok, I'm anxious too," She replies.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I wanna know why she's got powers like me, and how," Raven pulls her hood up, hiding half her face, and sits down on the stool next to mine. "I know what you mean," I say back sighing with impatience. Suddenly the elevator door slides open and in walks Matrix. We all look to him, Zelda timidly walks in from behind him her eyes lowered.

"Welcome back Zelda," Shiloh says with a smile. Starfire jumps up from her spot on the couch and joyfully flies to Zelda arms outstretched for one of her crushing hugs. "We have missed you friend!" She exclaims in her high-pitched girly voice. I can't help but chuckle. Starfire's known for getting attached to people, and things. I note Raven gets up and walks a little closer.

"You-have?" Zelda asked and it sounds to me like she's surprised to be cared about. "Yes!" Starfire screeches and finally let's go of the shocked girl. "Why did you leave like that?" Shiloh asks sounding a little demanding. "I-well, long ago I was-exiled from my world because of my power, so I thought I'd be exiled from this world too," Zelda answers rubbing her arm shyly.

I notice The Matrix is gone. Taking a quick glance around I spot him standing by Raven silently. The two are so much alike. Quiet, keeps to themselves, dark, mysterious.

"Why would we ever exile you?!" Merella demands shocked. "You're our leader and we love you, it doesn't matter if you're, say, a demon we still wouldn't kick you out of earth!" She goes on. "Don't ever think we wouldn't accept you because of some power, we've accepted you for you," She says. Cyborg puts a hand on Zelda's shoulder. "So will you stay?" He asks. Zelda hesitates before answering. I see her glance at Matrix and he nods with-a smile? He doesn't smile, first time I've seen it anyways.

"Yes!" Zelda announces happily. Everyone, almost everyone, goes in for a group hug around her. Raven, Matrix, Shiloh and I stand by and watch with smiles on our faces. When everyone finally stops hugging, Raven sneaks over and asks Zelda about her power.

"Oh, well, it's a long and somewhat boring story," She answers with a slight laugh. "I've got time," Raven says in her regular flat-note tone. "Ok," Zelda says and follows Raven to the couch. I am curious so I follow them to listen.

"Well, my power, um, where to start?" Zelda has the 'thinking hard' look as she tries to sort this out. "The beginning would be nice," Raven says plainly. "Alright, beginning, I was born in a place called Azarath-" Raven doesn't even let her finish. After hearing the word 'Azarath' her eyes go big and she almost yells her next words, "You were born on Azarath?!" When Zelda nods she goes on. "So was I!" She says. A smile creeps onto Zelda's face. "Continue," Raven says in a calmer tone. I've never seen her so excited.

Zelda laughs and goes on, "I was born on Azarath, as was my father, Sulman, but my mother, Lo-anna, was from another planet called Scananndavia, when I was four we moved back to my mothers home planet and that's where my sisters and I grew up, I have 7 siblings, one brother the rest sisters," Zelda goes on with her life story and we listen carefully taking it all in.

"My father gave me the dark energy powers, he said they were a gift, but shortly after he left us, he became evil and a criminal, just before he left us for good he cursed me, he said I'd have to wander the universe and that I'd have no place to ever call my home, he said I'd be rejected by every planet I tried to live on, he showed my power to my mother, she was afraid of me, she wanted me to leave immediately, she said I had to go with my father but I didn't want to go with that man, in my eyes he was a demon, he was my enemy, so I left Scananndavia my sister Xenops came with me, she said she disagreed with mother and thought I should be allowed to stay, so in rebellion she came with, I wanted to go back to Azarath but I couldn't, I traveled to various worlds and each one, just as my father said, I was kicked out nobody wanted me, when my sister and I found earth I thought I had a chance to finally be accepted and the curse would be broken, but I couldn't keep my secret powers from you all, I had to use them and I thought I'd be kicked out so I ran, that's, it," She finishes. Raven just sits a moment.

"Wow," She says at last. "I don't have a father either," Raven tells her. "Oh?" I get up and leave the conversation to themselves.

Walking to the kitchen, I intend to see what the others are talking about. But just as I enter the room where most everyone stands they all erupt into laughter. Beastboy stands in the middle his face covered in pie. "Alright who's idea was this?" The green changeling demands. Cyborg is laughing especially hard and I suspect it was him who pied Beastboy.

"Come on BB," Cyborg says still laughing. "You have to admit, it was pretty funny," He encourages. I laugh a little to myself. Beastboy doesn't like pranks, when they're on him, he's the one who usually pranks everyone else. "Dude!" He goes off and you can literally see the steam radiating off his body. "It was you!" He pointed an accusing finger to Cyborg who was quick to say it wasn't him, but it was funny.

"Dude I know it was you," Beastboy says still angry. "Come on man! I told you it wasn't me!" Maybe it wasn't Cyborg, but then who would've done that? "Merella?" Beastboy turns to her, I think he thinks cause her face is red from holding in laughter that she's guilty, but it wasn't her.

"I promise!" She says holding one hand to her heart and holding up two fingers on the other hand. "Shiloh wouldn't do that, would you?" Beastboy continues searching for the culprit of this corny prank.

"No, that's stupid and pointless," She replies in a bored tone. It's obvious she didn't laugh when Beastboy was pied in the face.

"Well then who was it?!" Beastboy yells still angry. "Hey, no need to get upset," I say not wanting to cause a fight among teammates. "This isn't at all funny," Beastboy announced and stalked to the sink to wash his face. "I will find out who did this and I will get back at you, mark my words!" He says before dunking his head in the running water.

I turn around and right there, standing behind me, out of Beastboy's sight was The Matrix. He's smiling mischievously. A devilish grin creeps onto my features as I realize, it was him. No one would suspect it. No one.

I nod at him indicating that he's genus and walk away.

"I've got some questions for some of Droid's crew, I'll be back," I say as I head toward the exit. "You mean Fleo, don't you?" Merella questions just before I reach the elevator. I freeze unsure wether or not I should answer.

"Yes," I mumble. "I'm coming," She says and is immediately by my side. "I don't think that's a good idea Merella," I tell her sternly. "No, I'm coming you can't stop me," She argues. I sigh. Fleo's the one who killed her brother, that hatred for him might cause her to do something-drastic. Which is why I should probably stay at her side and not let her do anything. "Alright, let's go," I say and stand aside to let her in the elevator first.

...

"Cell 17c," The guard at the entrance tells us. "Thank you," I say and walk down the hall. The prisoners here look awful, they're dirty and just sit back and stare as we walk by. I just keep a strait face until I reach my target. Fleo Dunby.

Without even looking up he chuckles in obvious mock. "So you've come to see where they're keeping your lowlife ex partner," He says and laughs some more. "I've got questions and you're gonna give me answers," I say to him with a strait demanding tone. "Oh am I?" He challenges. "You are," I say trying to sound threatening. He pretends to shiver in fear only to laugh again. "Right," He says.

"First question; why did you betray your team for Droid? He was gonna destroy the world and everything in it, why would you want to be a part of that?" I ask confusedly. "Ha! I joined Droid in his plans because he said once we destroyed earth we were gonna rebuild it, and he said we would conquer other worlds and rule the universe, we would be gods," He gives a lame excuse, I wonder if he might be telling the truth or lying. "Is that the only reason?" I ask. "Yes," Fleo retorts flatly. Merella has kept unusually quiet this whole time. I glance at her before returning my gaze to Fleo. She's staring at him. Hard. I can see the resentment written all across her face. She hates him so much.

"Alright, one more question," I say and my heart rate increases rapidly. "Ah, fine, go ahead," Fleo says waving an arm in defeat. "It's not like I have anything better to do," He says and tugs the cuffs around his wrists. I take a deep breath prepared for whatever answer he has for me.

"Why did you give me that stuff to make my mind go nuts, and didn't give it to anyone else? It would've made their defeat much easier," There's just the slightest hesitation before he answers. "Because you had it all," He says. "What?" I ask furrowing my brow in confusion. "You are the perfect leader, everyone loves you, there's something about me naturally that drives people away, I was born that way," He says bowing his head in shame. "Not to mention you had Sarfire," He adds. "What does Starfire have to do with this?" I ask almost immediately. "You really are an idiot," Fleo says with a laugh. "You don't even realize what you've got," He says and I haven't the slightest idea what he means. "You really have no idea she cares so much about you?" He asked me like I'm stupid. "We all care about each other, it's part of being friends and teammates," I state the obvious. "Different kind of caring you idiot, she loves you, she's perfect and beautiful and you don't even seem to notice how much she loves you," I take in a sharp breath. I hadn't expected that. Starfire loves me? I-I don't even know what to-"Lets face it, she's probably given up hope that you'll ever love her, that my friend is why I made you crazy, I wanted someone to care about me that much, I was so jealous of you, I hated Starfire for liking you so much and disliking me so much, so I made her suffer, the agonizing nights when she'd sit there at your bedside watching you toss and turn going mad, the long days when you'd ramble on and on about strange things that made no sense whatsoever, that was certainly entertaining," I'm disgusted. Purely disgusted. This guy is a lunatic, a mad man, driven by insanity. How could he do that to Sarfire? How could I do that to her? She cares so much and I-I have to leave this place. I have to talk to Star-

"You killed my brother!" Merella steps forward and reaches through the bars grabbing hold of Fleo's shirt collar and slamming him against the jail door. "How could you do that to me? To Max? You were friends, we were friends, and you killed him!" She yells as tears swell in her eyes. I grab her shoulder. "Let him go, he's paying his price," I tell her as calmly as I can.

"No! He needs to die!" Merella rages in fury. "No! Merella that's not how we do things!" I say alarmed at once. "I don't care! I lost my only family left, he needs to die too!" She says. I grab her chin and force her to look at me. "No, that's not the way we play," I say sternly. The tears fade and she slowly releases her grip on his collar. "I'm sorry," She whispers. "I just miss Max so-AUGH!" She suddenly clutches her left side, the one facing the cell, and she leans over.

"What's-" Before I can even ask what's wrong she pulls her hand back revealing blood. My eyes go big and I look at Fleo. He's smiling evilly and holds in his hand a broken half bar from the window that's been sharpened to resemble a knife. "Tisk tisk," He says shaking a finger at us. "Should've known I'd try to kill the one girl I hate most," He rambles on crazily.

I quickly bend down to Merella who lies on the floor gasping for air and clutching her bleeding side, fear written all over her face. "Oh my god it's ok, it's ok, uh, you're fine!" I try to calm her (and myself) but only succeed in growing more panicked. A couple of guards who'd witnessed the scene call an ambulance and quickly take care of Fleo's window bar-knife.

"Ro-obin," Merella says in a shaky voice. "I'm here what?" I say quickly. She grabs my shoulder quivering in fear and pain. "I-I'm not gonna-make it," She says. "No, you will!" I tell her fearfully. She shakes her head weakly. "No, but don't worry, I'll be with Max now," She says and a smile creeps to her face. "I'll be ok," She says. "No no, an ambulance is on its way, we're gonna get you to a hospital and you'll live," I say trying desperately to keep her alive.

She smiles at me still. Her arm drops from my shoulder and her eyes gently close, she breathes outward heavily and I know, she's gone.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ok just to be clear, I do not believe that when you die you go to 'heaven' but in my story Merella does hence her comment "I'll be with Max now," so anywho, I hope you all enjoy this last chapter, an I know it's sad that Merella dies :( but I had to have it that way so I can have the BIG surprise that's waiting at the end of this chapter, I won't keep you any longer with my boring Authors Note so enjoy and Happy Reading!**

** Chapter 13: The Team. **

"What?!" Zelda's shock at the information I bring her is almost unbearable. "Merella, can't be dead!" She goes on as the panic rises in her eyes. "But-no," She slumps down to the couch and a tear rolls down her cheek. "My team has fallen apart, everyone's dead or betrayed me, all I have left are Kodiac and Shiloh," She says and places her hands on her head.

"This can't be happening," She mumbles. "Well, it did, and we have to face it," I tell her honestly. She wipes away her tears. "You're right, we have to move on, it's what she would've wanted, but what's a team with only three members?" She asks hopelessly.

"I quit," We all look over to Shiloh. "I'm done being a part of this, too many lives have been lost, I don't want to spend the rest of my life going to funerals," She says and touches her scarred eye.

"I've been hurt, friends have been killed, I'm done," She continues on. "I'm sorry Zelda, it was fun while it lasted, maybe I'll see you again sometime, but I'm leaving," All is silent. "Goodbye," She says and turns away.

"Wait!" Zelda jumps up from the couch and runs over to her before she can leave forever. "I want you to have this-" Zelda pulls off from around her neck a blue crystal necklace. "Don't forget me, I won't forget you," Shiloh smiles and the girls hug before she departs.

I wonder why she didn't give Mere-oh right, she's dead. I sigh and Starfire looks to me curiously. I'm reminded I need to speak with her, later.

"So this is it?" Kodiac says from the back. "This is goodbye? The teams done?" He asks. "I guess so," Zelda answers sniffling and trying not to cry. "Where will you go?" Kodiac questions curiously. "I-don't know," Zelda replies darting her eyes around the room in hopes of finding a clue to where she should go or what she should do.

"I suppose someone needs to get Zenica back home," He says looking to the girl on Raven's lap. I'd almost forgotten about her, she'd been playing quietly in the corner this whole time I never noticed her. But now she sits happily on her favorite persons lap.

"Home?" Raven asks reluctantly. "Yeah, she was part of an assignment, we had to protect her, well, now she's gotta go home, I guess I should be the one to take her," Kodiac says sadly.

"I don't wanna leave RaeRae!" Zenica protests immediately wrapping her arms around Raven's neck. Surprisingly Raven wraps her arms around the small child and hugs her tight. "It's ok, you need to get back to your family, I'm sure they've all missed you," Raven tells the five year old. There's a catch in her throat. I think she may be holding back tears, which is odd because Raven doesn't usually get emotionally attached to people. That's Starfire's personality. I'm reminded again that I need to speak with her.

"But RaeRae-" Zenica starts off again, sniffling in sadness. "Hey, I'll come visit you ok?" Raven interrupts. "Ok," Zenica says and pulls back smiling. She hops off Raven's lap and runs to Kodiac but then quickly changes her mind and is back to Raven. "Here-" She says and hands Raven that little stuffed cat she'd been carrying this whole time. "I want you to keep Rhen for me," She says with the cutest little smile. Raven takes the toy and hugs the child. "Thank you," She whispers and Zenica leaves with Kodiac.

"Zelda?" I say curiously. "Yes?" She replies wiping at her eyes. "Where will you go?" I ask. "I'd like to stay..." She says quietly. "Robin-" Cyborg lays a hand on my shoulder. "Sorry to interrupt, but there's still one piece of the puzzle we haven't figured out,"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, like, why did Droid leave that disc thing at the bank crime scene, you know, the one that said 'Die Legende Von Masse' translated means legend of mass, what is the 'Legend of Mass'?" He's got a point there. We never did figure that one. I think hard. "I don't kno-" Before I can finish Raven answers the question, "The Legend of Mass is exactly the same as the Legend of Kiow, just a different name and slightly different aspects, but in a nutshell they're same," We all stare at her wondering how she knows. "I overheard Droid talking to Jin," She says timidly and pulls her hood over her eyes.

"Oh Raven, one other thing," I say before she walks off. "Yeah?" She listens and I continue. "How come you didn't just use your powers to escape that prison Droid threw you in?" I ask wondering. "Because Droid did something to me. At the Jade Quan, he drugged me or something, and that prison, the walls were layered with some kind of chemical that prevents me from using any of my powers. It was terrifying." She answers simply. I nod understandingly and she walks away.

I notice The Matrix standing alone awkwardly debating wether or not to leave. "Hey, Matrix," I say walking over. "Would you like to join our team? Become a Titan?" I ask enthusiastically. He has the same look as always. Emotionless and cold.

"I've never been part of a team before. I think I'll stay on my own, but thanks anyway." He says before turning away. "Wait," I hand him a communicator before he leaves. "You deserve to be an Honorary Titan, even if you don't join our team," I tell him as he stares at the thing. He takes it and puts it in one of the pouches of his belt. "Thanks," He says and leaves.

I turn around and my eyes immediately lock with Sarfire's. I've got to talk to her. Now or never. Taking a deep breath I walk over and ask to speak with her on the roof. She excitedly accepts and we head to the top of the T shaped tower.

"What is it Robin?" She asks once we're sitting with our feet dangling over the edge. "Um, something Fleo said-about the stuff that made me insane-" I start off wondering how I'm gonna say this without seeming like a total idiot.

"Yes?-" Starfire scoots closer waiting for me to go on. I can't even look at her. I just stare down at the ocean below. "I-he told me why he did that to me-and not anyone else-" I fumble through it all. "And-" Starfire looks at me. I can't face her. I don't know how to say this, but words come.

"He said it was so that he could watch-he could watch you-suffer," I finally blurt out. She takes in a sharp breath and moves to put a hand to her mouth but stops. She turns her gaze to the waves beating down on the shoreline. All is silent for a moment and I wonder desperately what she's gonna say next. "And did he tell you why he wanted to watch me suffer," She half whispers in a dead tone. "Yeah-he said it was because-because-" For some reason I can't form the next sentence. I can't tell her the reason. I'm frozen.

I look at her for the first time. The way she sits, the moonlight glows around her silhouette and she almost looks like an angel-"Because?" She presses and looks at me. Her green eyes shine bright in the surrounding darkness. That's it. She's an angel, a Tamaranian angel.

"Uh-uh-um," I'm suddenly dumbfounded and can't go on. She's not smiling but she's beautiful. I can't take my eyes off her. "Um-because-he said it was because you cared-you cared so much about me-he was mad because you didn't seem to like him at all but you liked me-a lot- and he hated you for it-so he drugged me to get to you-" I watch closely for her reaction. She raises her tiny eyebrows in surprise and then turns back to looking at the tides.

"Is that all he said?" She asks fearful of the result. "Actually, he said you-he said you-you loved me-" I flinch at the very words. Now I look down to the water as well, feeling the awkwardness of the situation. "Oh," Starfire says relaxing. "Um-yes, I suppose what he says is true," I gasp not expecting her to admit it. We both look to each other simultaneously.

"I-um-" I can't speak. We inch closer, gazing into each others eyes. Our fingers touch and interlock. A small breeze blows. We're so close I can almost feel the heat radiating off her face. Suddenly the image of Slade standing over Starfire's dead body flashes through my mind. I jolt back in fear and shock.

Another image of Starfire lying on the ground with Slade standing over her, holding in his hand a knife covered in her blood flashes across my imagination. "Star-" I crackle out in a dry tone. "Starfire-Slade-he-killed you-" I stare at her in disbelief. Is she real? Is my mind going back to the drug induced hallucinations? Starfire stares back. "Robin, you said that once when you were insane, are you-"

"No," I refuse to let myself go back to that bedridden state of mind. "No, I'm fine," I tell her. "It just seemed so real-"

"There you guys are!" Beastboy comes up behind us. I inwardly sigh as something seems to always ruin the moment. Always. "Hey we need you back inside-" He stops mid-sentence. I follow his gaze down to Starfire's and my interlocked fingers. I quickly pull my hand back and then get up from my spot and stand in front of the green changeling.

"I'm coming," I say and walk past him. As I open the door leading inside the tower I her Beastboy laughing. I roll my eyes and make my way back to the living room.

"There ya are!" Cyborg says immediately. "We gotta talk to you!" He says and leads me over to a corner.

~o0o~

I stand alone in the corner holding onto the tiny stuffed cat Zenica handed me before she left. I watch as Robin enters the room and Cyborg takes him over to talk. I feel their emotions as they speak. Hopefully Robin will say yes.

A few minutes later Starfire comes in followed by Beastboy who's smiling like a crazed maniac. I wonder what he's got up his sleeve. Knowing him I don't have long to wait, he's one of the biggest blabber mouths ever.

Robin is done talking and walks over to Zelda.

"Hey guys! Guess what!" Here we go. Beastboy's gonna give us the news. I roll my eyes at his childish enthusiasm. Cyborg gives a heavy sigh before asking, "What?" Beastboy rubs his hands together mischievously. "Robin and Starfire were holding hands on the roof!" Cyborg gasps and stares at Beastboy. I turn my sights to Robin.

His heart is beating faster and faster and his face turns red. "Beastboy," He grunts between clenched teeth. "You were! I saw you!" The changeling defends himself. I look at Starfire who's blushing uncontrollably. She steps back behind the green shapeshifter, slowly making her way out of the room.

I look back to Robin. He's still red and looks away from everyone. "Dude it's about time you two got together," Cyborg announces. He really has no shame does he? I roll my eyes at everyone's stupid obsession with Robin and Starfire being together. "We are not 'together'" Robin argues gritting his teeth. "Right, you just take naps together and hold hands," Cyborg said with a wink of his human eye. You could literally see the steam rippling off Robin's back as he glares at Cyborg and Beastboy.

Zelda laughed and stood up. "Hey guys, lets not start anything," she says. "What Robin does is his own business, lets leave him alone ok?" Beastboy's shoulders slumped and he gave a defeated moan. "Ok," He said slowly and slumped to the couch. Cyborg laughed and winked again. "Sure thing," He said.

I agree with Zelda, Robin can do whatever he wants in his own time and no one else should bother him about it. It's just plain stupid.

~o0o~

After I was so rudely interrupted and embarrassed by Beastboy, I go on talking to Zelda.

"Hey guys," I turn to everyone. Someone's missing. Of course it had to be Starfire. After all that Beastboy said I don't want to go get her myself but I don't want to ask anyone else to go get her. "I'll get Starfire," Raven says feeling my predicament. I nod to her and she leaves.

Pretty soon she returns with Starfire. She doesn't look at me directly. I don't blame her, Beastboy is a nuisance and didn't need to embarrass her like that. Or me.

I clear my throat getting to the point now. "Guys," I begin and Zelda steps forward. "Please welcome our newest team member, Zelda Eversheath,"


End file.
